New Assignment
by Bard of Innail
Summary: Inspired by DarkSideofWonderland's 'Haruhi's Secret', this piece delves into Haruhi's past life as a member of class 3-E and her current life as a hostess in the Host Club when Karasama presents her with a new target. Does she want to take up her blade again? How will she keep her past hidden from her friends? Who will she trust to help her now? Just who is this new target? R&R?
1. Shake the Unshakable

A beautiful blonde maid who milled around the mansion, cleaning mirrors and flirting with the other servants just left her room. She almost reminded Haruhi of Professor Bitch. Sighing, the petit brunette wondered what her former teacher would think if she saw her now. Having acted all year as the innocent, endearing, oblivious Haruhi the Host Club had come to know and love, she had grown used to the façade. There was a reason she was best known for infiltration back in middle school. However, now that she was no longer indebted to said club, it was time to shake things up and let her true colors fly. Time to have some fun!

She smirked as she took one last look in the full-length bedroom mirror in her suite at the Hitachiin vacation estate. 'Yes, this racy red bikini she was wearing was sure to ruffle some feathers. But how to top it off? How about a pair of bold sunglasses and some light lip gloss? Let's make this a surprise though.' She pulled on a white terry cloth cover-up that hid her chosen swim suit well. Picking up the sunglasses, she pushed them to the top of her head, not wearing them, but securing her hair in place. A touch of colorless lip gloss, just enough to give a shine and be noticed but nothing to arouse suspicion. She was ready.

The boys were already assembled on the adjoining beach; laid out on towels, sitting on lounge chairs, all of them were waiting anxiously for their favorite female host. Tamaki was pacing the sand in a tirade about his precious daughter being kidnapped. The twins were wondering if she'd gotten lost. Kyouya was calmly reading a book. Mori and Honey (mostly Honey) were building sand castles. Engrossed as they were in their own activities, her entrance went unnoticed by her boys.

She decided it was time to shake the unshakable so she silently sat down extremely close to Kyouya. He still took no notice of her. She soundlessly took off her cover-up so that she was only wearing her bikini. Cautiously, she leaned over to glance at the book he was reading. Catcher in the Rye. How funny that she would know the ending before he did. And it seemed like her stealth skills were still fully intact because she still unseen by her senpai.

"I remember reading that last year in middle school," she said, abruptly. The effect was instantaneous. Having no idea she was that close, he flinched so hard that he actually dropped his book right on her chest, causing a red mark and a little blood to appear. It didn't really hurt but this could be interesting.

"Owww" she whimpered, clutching the spot right between her breasts. Her cry finally caught the attention of the other hosts who turned to find Haruhi kneeling beside Kyouya, hand to her chest, and Kyouya hovering over her looking petrified and breathing hard.

"WHAT DID YOU DO, YOU BASTARD?!" Tamaki's shouted, being echoed by the twins. All of them were beside the two now. Honey and Mori looked murderous. It was all Kaoru could do to keep Hikaru in his grasp. Tamaki looked like he was not about to relent anytime soon. She spoke up on Kyouya's behalf.

"Guys, it's okay. It was an accident and it was my fault. I'm fine, I promise." She gave them her best smile as they each turned to her, finally taking account of what she was wearing…and where she had her hand. Four faces turned bright red, two flushed a pretty pink. She turned to Kyouya and bowed low, hand still covering the spot his book hit. "I'm sorry, Senpai. I didn't mean to startle you." Righting herself, she continued, "I saw what you were reading and I got excited. I loved it when I read it last year!"

She watched, chuckling inwardly, as the unshakable demon lord regained his composure and the others turned to him in disbelief that she startled him.

"It's quite alright, Haruhi. However, I would recommend not repeating your actions. We wouldn't want any more accidents, now would we? Speaking of, are you alright? That was an unpleasant hit you took." She noted how he didn't actually say he was sorry and was irritated by that fact. It was time for some payback for his off-handed comments and indifferent attitude. So she lowered her hand to reveal the blood-spotted bruise between her breasts and pretended to examine it, tracing it lightly with her fingers, scratching the dried blood, wincing slightly. She knew this would cause an amusing reaction and she was not disappointed.

Immediately she could feel the concern, embarrassment, lust, and anger coming off the hosts in waves. She decided to push it further, this was the most fun she'd had with them all year and it was on her terms now. Since she was no longer indebted to them, she could finally practice _all_ of her skills. So many had gone unused for so long. She looked up at them through her lashes, pouting just a little, enough for them to notice. All six faces were entirely flushed. Not even Kyouya and Mori could fight it back after her 'examination' and the glance she gave them.

"It does hurt a little, Kyouya-senpai. But I've taken worse," she simpered. Well, she wasn't lying entirely. She decided to call them out on their behavior. "But with the way you guys are staring at me, I guess it looks worse than it feels. Maybe I should go back inside and take care of it." She gazed longingly out towards the ocean and sighed deeply. "I guess I won't get to swim with you guys this time either." She pouted further, allowing her eyes to tear up. She turned and slowly trekked back to the mansion, counting down in her head.

-3. 2. 1. "Haru-chan, wait!" Honey-senpai's voice broke the silence. She turned as he ran up and caught him when he jumped. "You don't have to go, it really doesn't look bad. Please stay with us and have fun?!" The only one she might have felt guilty about toying with if it hadn't been for the final event of last year.

"Are you sure, Honey-senpai? It must look pretty bad if all of you were staring at it and trying to avoid my eyes."

"Don't worry about it, Haruh-chan. Just play with us. It's okay." His caramel eyes shone with excitement and hinted with embarrassment and lust, his face still a little flushed.

"Alright, Honey-senpai. If you insist." He bounded from her arms and raced back to Mori, celebrating. She laughed lightly and made her way down. "I have an idea," she said when she got to the group, "How about a game of tag?" The others murmured their assent, still refusing to look her in the eye and now refusing to look at her wound. Good, maybe that would teach them they can't just stare at her anymore.

"No nose goes," she giggled, putting her finger to the side of her nose. The others were quick to follow, leaving Mori the odd man out. "Looks like Mori-senpai is it!" She and the other hosts took off. Now was time to strut her stuff. Keeping her body at an angle, she ran without holding back. She wasn't hiding anymore. She had no more reason to keep up the act. It was time to play. Their game lasted an hour and a half and by the time it was over, she had not been tagged once. Not even by Honey.

Some lay on the blankets gasping for breath. Others were gulping down water as fast as they could without getting sick. She was bouncing from foot to foot, her body humming with the exercise and energy. So, as they made for the mansion, she snuck off and doubled back to the beach. It had been so long since her body was put through a stamina workout like that but it seemed to make no difference. Instead of being tired or cramped, her body demanded more.


	2. Sufficient Exercise

Sufficient Exercise

She climbed the Cliffside that loomed over part of the beach, similar to the spot at the Ootori vacation home. As she climbed, she recalled the last time she had done this. It felt like a lifetime ago that she and her friends scaled the cliff of that Okinawa resort, hunting down the bastard who poisoned half her old class. She relished in these memories as well as the stretching of her limbs. Unfortunately, her enjoyment didn't last long. Five minutes later and she pulled herself over the edge. Supposing all that time she spent training on that mountain had honed her terrain skills more than she realized, she took a deep breath. It was nearing a year since she had last seen that mountainside school building and she was missing it terribly.

"Hey pretty miss. Whatcha doin' all alone up here? Need some company?" The rough, drunk voice interrupted her musings. How had she not heard him approach? How had she not _smelled_ him? She must have been really deep in thought. She stood up, deciding to play the role of the shy girl.

"No, sir. I'm fine. Just enjoying the view is all." She shuffled her feet, using her arms to cover as much of herself as she could. He came closer to her, two others flanking him and cackling. Great. Oh well. She took a step backwards, testing her position. They were larger than her so pure strength was not going to cut it. She'd have to be more cunning and quick. She waited until he was right in front of her. It was all she could do not to gag.

"Gotta say, I'm liking the view as well." He leered at her, reaching to grab her arm. He never touched her. She sidestepped, clutched his arm, spun him around, and kicked him off the edge of the cliff into the water. Poor bastard never saw it coming. His friends took one look at the piercing glare in her eyes and tried to bolt but she wasn't having that. Leave no witnesses to remember. That was lesson #3 she'd learned so long ago.

Pouncing onto the shoulders of one, she twisted his neck until it snapped with a satisfying crunch. Hoping off before the body fell to the ground, she hurtled towards the last victim. She made quicker work of him, tripping and then bashing the back of his head with a rock she'd found next to him. Haruhi dragged both bodies and disposed of them by unceremoniously rolling them off the cliff into the ocean. No bodies, no trace. If they were ever found, the killing blows she'd made could be attributed to them falling into the water, like the first.

At that point, she decided it would be best for her to return to the manor. She was still only wearing her bikini and night was falling. She was getting cold. On her way, she pondered what had just occurred. She had just killed her first three humans. She didn't feel bad about it either. No guilt, no remorse at taking a human life. She felt nothing. A smile graced her lips. This was good. It meant that if the time came, she could do the job she'd been trained for. Not that she ever considered going into that line of work. It was just good to know.

Upon reaching the estate, she could hear Tamaki's panicked voice inside. She thought she caught the words 'daughter' and 'trouble' and smirked. She knew what was going on inside. Oh, if only they knew. But they couldn't. That didn't mean she couldn't play with them now though. She raced around the manor to find her bedroom balcony two stories up. Easy. Faster than she'd scaled the cliff, she was pulling herself onto the marble platform and entering her room.


	3. Who to Trust

Who to Trust

She walked to her nightstand and took out her phone. 17 unread messages. 13 of them from the panicking boy downstairs. One from Karma. One from Karasama. She laughed low as she read the one from Karma first.

 _'Hope you're giving that batch of idiots hell, my dear!'_

She remembered telling him that she was debt free and knew she didn't have to tell him what she was going to do about it. She typed back:

 _'Let's just say Professor Bitch would be proud of me right now.'_

She turned her attention to the one from her former teacher.

 _'We need you back. We have a target who knows all our tactics and usual go-to's. We need a face or two he doesn't know. Are you free to attend a short briefing tomorrow at 11? There's a small café about 3 miles down the road from you.'_

 _'Wait a minute, I thought we were done after last year. There's really no one else but E-class that can take the hit?'_

She decided to take a shower while she was waiting on a response. The entire time she was thinking. Did she want to take her old life back up? Did she want to go back? It had been almost a year to the day since she had left that now abandoned building at the top of the mountain. Almost a year since the last time she'd strategized, fought, and helped kill (aside from what had just transpired on the cliff). Not that she lost contact with anybody. Quite the contrary, they spoke often and she always had Ritsu. She just hadn't seen them since they graduated. Maybe this new assignment could be a good thing.

As she dressed in light blue night clothes, she wondered who the target could possibly be if they already knew so much. Uncharacteristically, she called for a maid and requested her friends be told she was feeling under the weather. She needed to find out what was going on and she needed to do it alone. Of course, she knew this would never happen. So, she locked her door and turned out her lights as her first line of defense. First line, because she also knew the Hitatchiin's would never give her a room if they didn't have a key to it. Her second line would be burrowing into her blankets with a wet cloth on her forehead, acting as if she were asleep. She grabbed her phone and tossed it into the nightstand so they wouldn't pry and prepared herself for their inevitable intrusion.

Sure enough, minutes after she had the covers up to her chin and the cloth in place, she heard a not-so-soft knocking on her door. When she didn't answer, she heard scuffling and the sound of her lock being undone. She smirked at how predictable they were. As the door opened, she smelled the most delightful and tantalizing scents. So they had brought her dinner. How thoughtful.

"Haruhi, are you feeling okay? We brought you dinner because you missed it." Tamaki's voice could wake the dead. She heard a smack followed by an 'oof' and knew one of them had just slapped him silly for being so loud when she was obviously sleeping. She felt the bed give and knew one of them had sat down on it. By the feeling of the dip, she guessed it was Honey. She felt another one approach her 'sleeping' figure. This one only stopped when he was right in front of her. She felt her cloth being removed and a large hand replaced it.

"Warm." Mori's low voice practically echoed around the room. Haruhi kept her breathing slow and steady. The ding of her phone sounded from the nightstand, signifying a new message. She mentally cursed herself for not putting it on silent. 'Please don't let them get curious.'

"Hey boss," Hikaru's mischievous whispered, "that was her phone, wasn't it? The sound it makes when she gets a text message? Wonder who it was from. All of _us_ are right here in her room."

"It…it was probably just Ranka checking in on her." She could feel his nerves getting the better of him. 'PLEASE believe that. It's reasonable. Sound even.'

"Yeah, you're right. Of course," Hikaru started, egging his brother to join him.

"There's always the chance," naturally, his brother caught the drift. 'Damn it!'

"That it isn't." They both finished together. "Do you want to make sure? If it is, it wouldn't do to leave Ranka unknowing that his daughter is sick."

"You're right, gentlemen. It's our sworn duty to make sure Ranka knows his daughter's fragile condition." His ramblings started continuing, and increasing in volume until someone put a hand over his mouth. She took this opportunity to start shifting in her pretend sleep, hoping they'd get scared of waking her up, and leave.

Well, they got scared anyway. She could sense their stressed forms, silent as they became. Moments later, they all breathed again and she mentally facepalmed. They were stubborn when it came to getting what they wanted. However, she wanted to see if they were as trustworthy as they had led her to believe.

"Alright men, it's time to find that phone!" Tamaki was whispering now, more careful than he had been before. She listened to them shuffling around the room for a couple of minutes without finding anything.

"You do realize that you're currently searching through a girl's belongings, don't you? And that by doing so, if she catches you, her trust will be lost?" Kyouya's voice came from the doors to the balcony.

"She's not waking up. Mori-senpai already said she fell asleep with a slight fever. She won't catch us. Besides, it's not like she's a real girl anyway. She's Haruhi. She's one of us. Now will you get over here and help us instead of staring us down?" Kaoru's voice drifted from the closet. Well, there was one person she could trust at least.

"Fever or no, Haru-chan doesn't deserve to have you guys snooping through her stuff and I highly suggest you stop now." Honey's venom-laced voice came from the dip in her bed that hadn't moved. As she'd expected. Another trusted friend. His voice, though, made her shiver at the implications. She felt him move closer and place his tiny hand on her forehead. "Hmm. She's still warm. What do you think, Takashi?"

"Let her rest." His deep voice came from the chair by the desk. She didn't know if he had been searching through said desk or not but she hadn't heard any drawers yet so she was hopeful. Suddenly the drawer of her nightstand was pulled open. She started sweating.

"Found it!" came Hikaru's triumphant exclamation from her immediate right. She flinched. "SHHH" responded from five different spots in her room. Now that they had all given their cover away, she knew exactly where Tamaki was too. He was in her bathroom.

"Sorry guys," Hikaru said, meekly. Haruhi could feel the irritation coming from Honey and knew that her friend was directing it at the older twin for not listening to him. "But now we can stop looking because I found her phone. Now we can see who texted her this late."

"Late? It's only 9:00. Anyway, can we just get this over with so we can leave? I am _not_ about to take the fall if you get caught perusing through Haruhi's phone. Bear in mind that since she no longer owes us a debt, she can leave the club if she so chooses. Which I'm pretty sure will happen if she finds out you went through her phone without permission." Kyouya may sound cold and calculating, but she could tell he was unnerved. He didn't like what the others were doing. She appreciated that. She would remember that.

"Alright, alright." Hikaru pressed the button that would bring her phone to life on the lockscreen, giving them previews. "Looks like there are two messages…and neither of them are from Ranka. The first one is from someone named Da Densest and it says ' _Sorry, but no. You and a few others are the only ones…'_ That was sent an hour ago."

"The only ones who what? And who is Da Densest?"

"No idea boss, but the second one that was just sent is far more interesting. Check this. It's from someone named Semi-senioritis and it says ' _That's my girl_.'"

"WHAT?" She flinched and turned on her bed, blushing at Karma's words, enjoying the sharp intake of breath from the six hosts. She felt Honey's small hand on her forehead again.

"Takashi, she's flushed. Get her cloth nice and cold again. Then we are all leaving this room. No more snooping. Hikaru, put her phone back. Now." Honey's serious voice was harsh and low, and the effect it had was immediate. She heard her phone replaced, the drawer closed, her cold, damp cloth was returned to her head. Four of the hosts left without another word, though she knew there would be some once they were out of earshot. She still felt Honey on the bed next to her so she assumed Mori was still at the desk.

"Ne Takashi, should we stay in here to make sure the others keep out?" So that meant she did have three friends she could count on to be trustworthy. Good to know.

"Yeah." She heard the desk chair being moved over to the door and figured he put himself in front of it. 'Damn. So much for figuring out what was going on. Unless….' She quickly ran through the pros and cons of her next move and decided the positives definitely outweighed the negatives. She sat up, no longer feigning sleep.


	4. Her Confession

Her Confession

"Man, I thought they'd never leave." She looked at her two bewildered senpais and chuckled softly at their reactions. "Yes, I heard the whole thing. Do you honestly believe for a second that I thought you guys would leave me alone after you heard I wasn't feeling well?" She watched them both blanch. "Don't worry so much. While I wasn't expecting my phone to go off while you guys were in here, it did a lot to teach me who I could place my trust in. It's amazing how quickly one's true colors arise in the heat of the moment." They didn't relax.

"Haru-chan, please don't be mad. We came in because we were worried about you." Honey's eyes started watering. I knew the difference between his genuine and fake tears. These were true. "We heard your phone go off and they wanted to see who it was."

"Shhh Honey-senpai, I'm not mad. At you two. I know what happened. I also know you tried to stop them. I know who searched and where. I know who didn't search." I reached over and pulled out my phone. Once she read the rest of the message from Mr. K, Haruhi looked back at my senpais, knowing what she had to do.

"Mori-senpai, would you please come over here with me and Honey-senpai? I need to tell you two something and I can't risk it being overheard." He did as she asked and sat at the very edge of her bed. She sighed.

"Closer, Mori-senpai, please." Reluctantly, he came to sit by her on the bed. Honey climbed in his lap and they both turned to her, understanding that this was indeed, serious. She placed the phone on her bed between them and sighed again, mentally preparing herself.

"Before I tell you anything, there's someone I want you to meet. Ritsu, I assume you heard what just transpired?" Her phone came to life at her words. A cute pink-haired girl with long, low pig-tails wearing a lavender nightgown popped up on screen and yawned, tiredly.

"Yup. I was on the verge of going to sleep when I finished my night time routine of making sure E-class was all safe. I noticed your blood pressure and heartrate was increased significantly so I zeroed in right as your Hikaru talked about finding your phone. Naturally I put it on lockdown so that if he did find it, he wouldn't be able to open it."

"Yeah, thanks for that," she replied drily, ignoring her friend's jibe. "I knew I could count on you. I was worried more about what the previews would show but honestly I think they were more caught up on the one from Karma. But back to the problem at hand. I need you to scan the room for bugs or cameras. If you find them, I need them disrupted."

"Just give me one momennnt…done. Congratulations, Haruhi. You are completely bug free. I must say, Fluffy Stag Beetle is going to be disappointed." Both girls started giggling, remembering their money-making etymologist friend. The two hosts just sat beside them, stunned. They couldn't wrap their heads around this new information. Just what kind of phone _was_ this anyway? And where did she get it? "No are you finally going to introduce me to the two hosts that are sitting next to you or not?"

"Yeah, yeah. I just needed to make sure the room was clear. I would _not_ put it past the Hitatchiin twins to bug my room. Anyway, Ritsu, this is Mori-senpai and Honey-senpai. Apparently, I can only trust three out of the six host club members and here are two of them. Guys, this is Ritsu." The girls waited patiently for the two boys to respond. When they continued to sit in their stunned state of silence, Ritsu took it upon herself to continue the conversation.

"Third-years Honinozuka Mitsukuni and Morinozuka Takashi. Both masters in martial arts. Mitsukuni, the known master of Japan in both Karate and Aikido. Takashi, the known master of Japan in both Judo and Kendo. Both had earned the national titles an astounding 10 times each and have earned 7 international titles. One for every year they competed. But neither could hold a candle to the top ten fighters in E-class. It's very nice to meet you both." She smiled and bowed, hoping her last comment would be enough to shock them out of silence.

"Ritsu, that was unnecessary. You know we all, well most of us, stopped fighting after what happened last year. I'm sure our skills are rusty compared to Mori and Honey."

"Be that as it may, I've been watching their fighting styles and analyzing their forms. I can tell you with 57% accuracy that even with your rusty skills, you can beat them both with relative ease." Finally, Honey snapped out of it.

"Ritsu-chan, what do you mean the top ten in E-class? And what do you mean Haru-chan's rusty skills? What skills does she have? Could she really beat us? You said yourself we're the best in Japan." As his excitement grew, so did the speed at which his questions were asked.

Ritsu giggled delightedly. "Honey-senpai, you two are the best in Japan _on record_. By my calculations, though, E-class has approximately ten students who could easily best both of you in hand-to—hand combat. Assuming they kept up their skills. I know Haruhi hasn't. She's been too busy playing Hostess. So I can't say for sure if she could still hold her own, but odds are in her favor."

"Oh don't worry about that, Ritsu. My skills are as honed and intact as the day we left the mountain. I actually had an opportunity to test them out a couple hours ago on the cliff. Let's just say there are three people who will never drink again and leave it at that." Haruhi grinned, recalling just why they wouldn't be drinking and the look on her face caused Honey to blanch and even Mori's stoic mask to break as his eyes widened.

"Ha-ru-hiiii," her friend whined, "I just got one of them talking! Why did you have to go and scare them again?"

"Alright, Ritsu, I think it's time I told my senpais what really happened in middle school. I'm going to need their help getting out tomorrow to meet up with Da Densest." She turned to Mori and Honey who were still reeling over her last bit of news. When was she on the cliff? Did they _want_ to know what happened?

"Haruhi," Mori started tentatively, "What's going on?"

"Well, it's a long story," she started. "But first I need to have your word as a Morinzuka and yours, Honey-senpai, as a Honinozuka that nothing I say leaves the four of us. You are both men of honour. If I have your word, I know you will not break it. What I have to say is strictly classified information and because of what transpired in my room when all of you were in here, I can trust you with it. But absolutely no one can know I've told you. Do I have your word that you will not reveal what I relay and that you will listen to everything I tell you? It really is a long story and I don't want either of you to fall asleep."

"Haru-chan, of course you have my word. I vow on the Honinozuka name that nothing you say in confidence to us will be repeated by me."

"You have my word of honour as a Morinozuka that under pain of death, your secrets are safe with me."

Heartened by her senpai's longer-than-usual statement, Haruhi smiled gently. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that. Did you get all that, Ritsu?"

"Yes ma'am I did. Every word recorded and stored in my memory."

"Then I suppose I should start at the beginning of third year in middle school. Do you remember when the moon was destroyed two years ago?" When they confirmed, she continued. "Well, I know who destroyed it. He was one of my teachers at Kunugigaoka Junior High."

She waited again, gaging their reactions. If they expected anything, it wasn't that. Honey covered his mouth with both hands to muffle the loud gasp that escaped his lips, his eyes wider than she'd ever seen them before. Mori's eyes also widened, thought much more subtly and his lips slightly parted. His hands gripped the bedsheets tightly. Haruhi sighed. If they were going to react this strongly to the first, and probably most mild revelation, how were they going to handle the rest of her tale?

"Should I continue? Do you want to know everything?"

They were silent for a minute as they seriously considered her question. Did they want to know? Their friend whom they thought they'd known for much of the last year had already stunned them three times in the last hour. How many more secrets did her little head hold? She could beat them? She knew what blew up the moon two years ago? She was _taught_ by him? It seemed like this was only the beginning, too. But she trusted them. She trusted them enough to tell them this much and was willing to tell them more. Did they want to shake that trust? They had given her their word that they would hear her out though. One shared look and both boys knew what their decision would be. They slowly nodded their heads.

"Alright, you want the whole story? Here it is." So, she told them. She explained who and what Koro-sensei was and how the moon was turned into a permanent crescent. She described the top-secret task they were given and the number of ways they tried to accomplish that assignment. She gave voice to the experiences her former class shared. Their trip to Okinawa, their Kyoto excursion, their villains, their allies, the save vs. kill rift that formed among them. How she really got into Ouran. Nothing was left untouched. Every once in a while, Ritsu would fill in some gaps, like when she got to the space trip that only she, Karma, and Nagisa were a part of.

As the two girls approached the end of their narrative, they started crying together, both remembering how hard it was to finish that chapter of their lives the first time. Having to relive it after so many months reopened the jagged wound and bled it fresh. For Haruhi, it was harder than any of the others. It was like losing him and her mother all over again. The girls told them everything that happened up to that night but neither could bring herself to describe what happened inside that protective shield. They broke down and couldn't continue.

At some point Haruhi had grabbed her phone and was holding it close to her chest, hugging Ritsu. She didn't notice when Honey climbed into her lap and put his arms around her. She didn't feel it when Mori puller her to _his_ lap and wrapped his long arms around them all, resting his chin on top of her head. It seemed like she and Ritsu heard Nagisa's desperate cries fresh in their minds on repeat. And each time it played, they both cried harder. It was a long time before either of them calmed down.


	5. Reassurance and Planning

Reassurance and Planning

As the boys held them close, whispering calming and reassuring words, they allowed themselves the opportunity to process everything their friends had told them. They couldn't believe what they had listened to. It sounded so fantastic! But Ritsu had shown them footage she recorded from those days. Evidence showing Haruhi and her classmates scouting the mountainside. Videos of their sweet, innocent friend taking down classmates with frightening accuracy during the paintball war. Watching it was one thing, listening to the pride she took in herself and her classmates was something else entirely.

There was no doubt they'd ever look at her the same way again. Their friend, the natural rookie, their secret princess, hostess of the host club, was a trained assassin all along. She was more of a fighter, more practiced, than they would ever be. For all their travels and competitions, she'd had more experiences in that one year than they'd had their entire lives.

How were they going to keep this from the rest of the club now that they knew? How had she? She said she might need their help, but could they? What happened under that both these girls who had been through so much to break down so completely? They had their suspicions but after the revelations of the past three hours, those suspicions could be entirely inaccurate. Though this would explain how she saw through everyone so easily and how she always knew what was on their minds. It also explained why she was so good at putting her guests and the hosts at ease around her. She was trained to do it.

Did that make their whole friendship a lie? No, not exactly. She never lied to them. She just never told them everything. They assumed they already knew. Certainly, _that_ was a mistake on their part. But she was open and honest with them now. And they wanted to share her world. It was thrilling, dangerous, and so different from the hum-drum routine that had encompassed their own lives from infancy.

So caught up in their own thoughts, neither boy realized the girls they held were finally starting to calm down. Their cries dwindled into sobs. Their shaking diminished to mild tremors. Still the girls couldn't ebb the flow of their tears but the sobbing was reduced to sniffles. Haruhi looked up, wiping her face with the back of her hand to find she was no longer sitting on the bed. She was in Mori's lap with Honey in hers. They were muttering softly to her and Ritsu. She could feel the vibrations of Mori's voice on the back of her head and his hand rubbing her back delicately. She smiled gently at them. She knew she made the right choice.

"Do you feel that, Ritsu?" She sniffed and looked at her phone. Her friend's face was red, her eyes swollen, and her tears were still spilling. She had come a long way from the calculating killing box that was introduced to them. Ritsu looked back at Haruhi, then at the two boys, confused.

"This is what it means to be comforted by your best friends. This is what it feels like to be loved." The girls smiled at each other as the boys tightened their grip. Haruhi took a ragged breath. "Alright, Ritsu, no more tears. I think we've cried enough. We're supposed to be assassins, remember? No emotions attached?"

Her friend smiled, sadly. "Oh, you know we will always have a lot of emotions tied to that night. You may have killed without remorse since then, but the rest of us aren't so lucky." She turned to the boys and continued, "I'm sorry we couldn't bring ourselves to tell you what happened after that. It's still something we are all dealing with. It cuts us all deep and it still hurts us to talk about it. Haruhi, most of all."

"Ne ne, Ritsu-chan," Honey said thickly, his watery voice muffled by Haruhi's shirt. "As hard as it is for us to hear, it must be even harder for you to remember. Right now, we feel privileged that you trust us enough to tell us as much as you have. You don't have to worry about us telling anyone. We won't, will we, Takashi?"

"Not a chance." She pulled away from his arms to look at him.

"Good," she said softly, still feeling as though her heart were ripped raw once again. "Because I am going to need your help tomorrow." Honey sat up and wiped his eyes on his sleeve.

"What do you need us to do, Haru-chan? We're with you all the way."

"Yeah." Mori chimed in.

"Well, apparently, I am needed for another job." Talking about this task and trying to devise a strategy was helping her voice become stronger. She was getting back into her old mindset. Her shell was coming back. She was feeling excited again.

"You see, I'm supposed to meet my, shall we say, trainer, tomorrow at 11. I won't tell you where. You'll need to not know that information later. What I need from you two is a distraction. Long enough to keep the rest of the club from searching for me. I don't know how long the briefing will take but I'll need to sneak back around when I'm done."

"Sounds like fun! What kind of distraction do you need?"

"Hmmmm. I need something that will keep their attention entirely diverted. Something that will occupy every thought of their minds. It would be best to get them out of the house early in the morning and keep them all out most of the day. Ritsu, run a check for any festivals, carnivals, or fairs going on in the area."

"Already on it," came the much more chipper voice from her mobile friend. "Done! You'll be happy to know there's a summer carnival going on about 10 kilometers southwest of you. It's the largest event of the year in this vicinity! Games, rides, contests, food, you name it, it'll be there!"

"Perfect. Send a message to Da Densest telling him the rendezvous location has changed. We can give him specifics when we arrive and scope it out. Don't get too excited, Ritsu, this is a briefing. If Da Densest has anything to do with it, we won't be done quickly. I have a few things to say to him, myself, anyway."

"Haru-chan, who's Da Densest? It's not Tama-chan, is it?" She started laughing.

"No, of course not!" She took a few moments to breath, her eyes still alight with mirth. "Da Densest is the codename we gave to our gym teacher. The man who trained us in combat." Her laughter subsided but she couldn't fully contain her giggles. "We all gave each other nicknames. The assassins we fought in Okinawa all had them and they sounded cool. Our nicknames just kind of stuck with us. It's only when we're together that we call each other by our given names."

"That's so cool! Can we have nicknames too? What's yours?"

"I was dubbed Plain Sight because of my infiltration skills. Best in my class, if I do say so, myself," she paused, thinking about his other question. "Hmmm, what do you think, Ritsu? Should we make these two hosts honorary E-class? Think they can handle it?" Her friend giggled into her hand.

"It's possible, Haruhi. Shall we give them a trial run? See if they can handle themselves tomorrow to get you out and back in without anyone else noticing your absence?"

"You know, that's a good idea. Okay!" The girls turned their attention to their senpais. "I'll give you a test. Help me out tomorrow. If you're both successful, Ritsu and I will make you honorary members of class 3-E, complete with your very own codenames!" She smiled at them and tilted her head to the side, the way she knows they think is too adorable to deny. Oh, yes, she knows how to play them like a fiddle. But she was surprised when it was Mori who spoke up.

"That sounds good to us. Don't forget, we are behind you. I will make sure you stay undetected. I won't get in your way or try to protect you. I see now that you are more than capable of handling yourself. You have my respect, Haruhi."

She blushed at hearing his declaration. Rarely had she ever heard him speak so much. Unless he was tired. It wouldn't surprise her; it was already pushing one in the morning. They all needed to be out of the house in less than eight hours. Which meant they had only six to sleep.

"Mori-senpai, lay down. You're sleepy. You too, Honey-senpai. Both of you can use my bed tonight. I have some things left I need to take care of anyway." She made her way over to the desk, pulling out her computer. The boys did as she asked and soon enough, the room was filled with their light snores.

Six hours later, she sat back with a sigh. Having spent the entire night on recon, scoping out the ideal location for her meeting with Karasama. Unfortunately, all she had to go on were pictures of previous carnivals and aerial shots of the venue. It was a rough task but she thought she'd caught a trend in the crowds. At 11, there seemed to be some sort of event that the populace gravitated towards. She couldn't figure out what it was and it seemed too convenient to be true but it was the best Haruhi could hope for.

She looked at the clock and sighed again. It wasn't her first sleepless night and this was going to be a long day, regardless. Mildly annoyed, she proceeded to wake her senpais. Mori was, of course, the one to be woken up by her hand. After explaining that it needed to be Honey who woke up the others and present the carnival idea to them, she then took a shower.


	6. The Rendezvous

The Rendezvous

Sure enough, when she got out of her relaxing shower, she heard the commotion that told her Tamaki had just tried to wake Kyouya and was unsuccessful. Damn. Then that would mean…3…2…1…cue the knock on her door. She quickly dressed in what the twins would define as a 'cute' sundress. A light green halter style with pink and yellow flowers embroidered on the bottom left side of the fluttering skirt. She opened the door to find the rest of the Host Club, minus Kyouya, waiting for her. She heard the five men gasp at her appearance.

"Haru-chan, you look so cute!" As always, Honey was the first to break the silence.

"Un," came Mori's affirmative grunt as he ruffled her head.

"Yeah, you look like a real girl for once," the twins harmonized. Of course, Tamaki had to go way over the top again.

"OH MY PRECIOUS DAUGHTER! HOW YOU DELIGHT DADDY SO! Did you dress up just for me, I'm so proud!" Forever the drama-king, he picked her up and swung her around in a vice-like hold until she thought she was going to be sick.

"Mori-senpai, HELP ME!" She was immediately released from the Tamaki-death grip and placed behind her tallest senpai. Honey positioned himself at her side, ready to rush if need be. Yeah, just a typical morning with the Host Club. She deadpanned.

"Senpai, I'm not your daughter. I'm only one year younger than you. And I most certainly did not put this on just to please you. Now would you knock it off and tell me why you're all pounding my door this early in the morning?" Naturally, she already knew but her acting was learned by the best.

"Oh that's right daughter dearest! You see, Honey-senpai came up with a wonderful idea so that we could all spend the day together! Turns out, there's a commoner's carnival just down the road!" He was beaming like a toddler and suddenly it was like he was a whole different person. He found the nearest corner and immediately started planting his beloved mushrooms.

"But mommy doesn't want to get out of bed." He stood up and faced her again, pointing, completely back to normal. Seriously, this guy's mood swings could give a person whiplash.

"So we need YOU to convince him to wake up and come with US!"

She crossed her arms. "Yeah right. And why the hell do you think he'd do that for me if _you_ couldn't even get him to do it?" She groaned internally. They were wasting so much time with this!

"How about this? How about we all go to this carnival of yours and leave Kyouya-senpai at home, sleeping. He can join us when he wakes up and will be much more complacent about it, at the very least. We may not all _arrive_ together but we will all still spend the day with each other and _leave_ together. Does that work for everybody?" She glared at them, letting them know she was in no mood to argue. They high-tailed it to the waiting limo with choruses of 'yes Haruhi', 'sounds good', and 'yeah, we can meet up later'. She smirked. No, she had lost none of her former…encouragement.

It was already quarter after ten by the time they finally got to the carnival. At least a half hour later than she'd hoped. She was alone now, sans Ritsu, as she'd fully expected. All the others took off from the limo the moment it pulled up. Tamaki raced towards the games, the twins bolted for the rides, Mori and Honey gave her a knowing glance before Honey made a beeline for the sweets stands, Mori on his tail. She chuckled to herself. Her friends really were predictable. After shooting off a text to Karasama telling him the location, she quietly milled about the rendezvous point, browsing the stands, waiting.

She looked at her watch. 11:05. Where could he be? He was never late and she was starting to get antsy. Should she stay where they were supposed to meet or should she do some recon and try to find him?

"Ritsu," her friend lit up her phone at her word. "Can you figure out where he is?"

"Sorry Haru," she giggled. "But he wanted to be left untracked. Said it was something of a surprise for you."

"Oh really?" She responded, drawing out the last word in disbelief. If there was one thing she knew about her former teacher, he was not one for surprises. She decided to buy a steambun from a nearby stand. She'd missed breakfast due to her friend's idiocy and was starting to regret being awake all night. She bit into the juicy center of her bun and munched, contented to just wait him out and watch the people pass by and let their mindless chatter roll over her. Ten more minutes went by and she was all but dozing when she heard a very familiar, cocky voice coming from behind her.

"Look alive, Plain Sight." She gasped and shot upright, spinning around in her seat with the same motion. Sure enough, she spotted the mop of bright red hair that was only rivaled by her Ouran friend, Kasanoda. She'd recognize that hair and laid back gait anywhere.


	7. Briefing

Briefing

"Karma!" She squealed, running up to him. He opened his arms to her, smiling broadly and she jumped into them. Reaching her arms around his neck, she brought her knife point to the top of his spine. She felt him snickering as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Where'd you hide it this time, my dear?"

She pulled back, grinning at him. "In the strap of my halter dress. There's a small hole in the seam that I made just for my knife." She showed him where it was as she put her blade back where it belonged.

"Still living up to your old name, I take it? I'm impressed. But surely that's not the only one you have on you?"

"Not even close," she said, giggling. She proceeded to hug her best friend tightly again. "I've missed you so much!"

"Easy there, Plain Sight. I've missed you too. I want to hear everything you've been up to. Especially about this Host Club of yours. And what the hell happened to your hair?"

"Uhm." The two teens broke apart as their companion was noticed for the first time by Haruhi. The tall man with dark, spikey hair narrowed his eyes at them, but they shone with thinly veiled happiness at seeing two of his best students again.

"Karasama-sensei!" She turned to hug her former teacher as well. Still unused to the affection his kids showed him, he simply responded by patting her head, gently.

"You know, it's been a long time since I was your sensei. Do you think you can drop the title any time soon?" She shifted her right leg just enough so that her knee was pressing the hilt of another hidden knife pointing into his upper calf. "Not bad. Certainly not a kill shot, but it would incapacitate me enough to strike the final blow if you're as quick as you used to be."

"I most positively am. Just yesterday I had the opportunity to practice some of the things you taught us. And don't even _think_ of me not calling you sensei. Remember, once a teacher, always a teacher!"

She and Karma laughed and she stepped back to get a good look at them both. A flash of blue caught her peripheral and she immediately brought her hands up to frame her face. Just in time to feel two hands on the outside of hers and shocked, piercing blue eyes gazing into her brown ones. She smirked.

"Nice try, Nagisa. I know all your tricks and I'm always ready for you to spring out of nowhere." He hopped off his perch, landing gracefully in front of her, smiling peacefully. He raised his arms and came in for a hug, himself. At the last second, she dropped low and attempted to trip him, which he easily dodged. She smirked at her friend again, standing straight. "Really, you should work on some new moves. Your deceptive ruses are a bit old hat."

He grinned, sheepishly. "Nah, you're the only one who can see it coming. You read right through me every time. Glad to see it hasn't changed! How've you been?"

"Perhaps we can continue this little reunion later?" Karasama interrupted, "For not, let's focus on the matter at hand. You three, and Ritsu are being called in again to take care of a new problem. This new target knows every one of our military operations and has an uncanny knowledge of every pro in the business. Not only does he know them, he's _used_ them. Red Eye, Irina, Lovro, Grip, Smog, he's worked with all of the known assassins and knows all their faces. He doesn't know yours or anyone in class 3-E. You're the ones we need to take him out."

They all sat around a table, the teens wondering just who this target was and how he knew so much. They also pondered something else. It was Karma who gave voice to it.

"What happened to us being done with assassination after we graduated? I thought it was a one-time deal. We take care of Koro-sensei and we're done, right? Why are you coming back to us? And what did this guy do to deserve being assassinated anyway? It can't be any worse than Koro-sensei's threat to blow up the earth, right?"

"Here, read over the information before deciding to take up your blades. I won't force you if it's not something you want to do. Taking a human life is going to be very different from anything you have done before and to my knowledge, only Nagisa here has actually struck the killing blow." He handed them a manila folder that he pulled from his jacket and her two former classmates started pouring over it when Haruhi spoke up.

"Mr. Karasama, I, uh, I've actually taken a human life in the last year. Three in fact. Just yesterday. I told you I'd had a recent opportunity to practice the skills you gave us. I was being harassed yesterday by three drunks. One thing led to another and they all ended up going off the cliff."

Her friends stared at her dumbfounded. Karasama was even stunned by her declaration. Their sweet friend had actually done what they'd all trained for. And she didn't seem to feel anything at all about doing so. Her face was entirely clear of any guilt or remorse.

"And you're fine with that?"

"Well, yeah. After everything that happened with Koro-sensei, there's nothing that could ever make me feel as bad as that. I was just too close to him. It was like losing my mother all over again. No one else will ever compare. So there's no remorse."

Her three companions stared at her with a newfound respect and appreciation. Each knew how hard it was on themselves to cope with their assassination of Koro-sensei but none of them even considered the petit female in front of them. But now that they considered how much their teacher and colleague did for all of them and how that might have taken the place of a lost parent, especially when the one she had was often out working.

She couldn't take the heat of their stares. Looking down at the target profile for the first time, she blanched. A sharp gasp left her lips and all blood drained from her face. She laughed humorlessly at the papers in front of her. What are the odds. Perusing through the list of accusations, she saw a lot, and serious, and she knew what he was like personally, but there was nothing that would put him on the radar for assassination by the government.

"I see why you wanted me in on this one, Karasama," she said drily. "Two questions: what did he do to deserve the hit, and do you think this may be a conflict of interest?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Haruhi. You're the best infiltrator we've got, professional or otherwise. You have an uncanny knack for charming both men and women and bringing them to their knees and with your hair like that, you can pass as either too. Karma is the best fighter in the class hands down. He's also the best at strategy. I've seen teams of twenty take two weeks to come up with what he does by himself in two hours. Nagisa is a natural-born assassin, no question. His instinct is always spot on. His approach is impeccable. His record is undeniable. Ritsu is the best hacker I've ever seen, again, professionally or not. All of you together are the most dangerous combination on earth and undoubtedly capable of taking care of this business."

"Yeah, that's great and all but that still doesn't answer my two questions. Nothing in here gives any indication that he's worth the hit. All this tells us is that he's a ruthless businessman with rather questionable tactics. It's definitely not 'blow-up-the-world-in-a-year' status. And again, this may present a conflict of interest for me. This target is the father of one of my best friends. He knows my face as much as he knows everybody else." That caught their attention. It was clear on Karasama's face that he, in fact, _didn't_ know about her connection.

"If you don't want to take on the assignment for that reason, I understand. However, perhaps you should hear me out before declining. The reason nothing on his profile seems out of the ordinary for any businessman is because this is not the entirety of the file we have on him. It would be unwise to carry around a physical copy of everything we have on the most powerful and influential man in Japan. All of this is readily available for public record.

"The real dossier is being uploaded to your phones as we speak. Believe me, it is more than enough to warrant death or worse. We've been waiting a long time to bag this one. Recently, the balance of power has shifted from his corner to that of his son. This leaves him more vulnerable than he's ever been before. It allows us a small window of opportunity to strike. We need to strike hard and we need to strike fast.

"Now, Haruhi, you said he knows your face. You've been passing as a boy at your high school for the better part of a year. Does he know your face as a boy or as a girl?"

"He knows my face as a boy. But he knows I'm a girl. He knows about the Host Club and my connection to it. He probably knows everything there is allowed to be known about me. If Ritsu let him anywhere near it, he'd even have my phone records by now," she said, distractedly.

As soon as Karasama had told them the dossier was uploaded, all three teens had been riveted to their phones. She was becoming increasingly more horrified the further she read. Money laundering from charities, 'mysterious' disappearances of his competitors, the numerous underage sex slaves, the torture rooms he kept his victims in, she had no idea the man she met was involved in so many things. How had he kept all this under wraps? Did his son know any of this? And the government wanted _her_ to help take him out? Wait…her mind zeroed in on one crime in particular. She suddenly understood why they wanted her. It seemed the other two did as well. Karma's eyes had gone red with rage. Nagisa paled. Her own anger was running wild.

"You want Haruhi to do what?!" Karma was seething, struggling to keep his voice low enough to not attract attention. It was a near thing.

"If it were that easy, why do we need to be here?" Nagisa asked, shakily. It was clear the thought of her anywhere near this monster was abhorrent to him as well but he was more rational than his two fellows for now.

"You're there in case something goes wrong. Yes, she will be our spearhead for this operation but do not sell yourselves short as backups. No doubt her newfound ability to kill without regret will come in handy if she chooses to accept the job. Of course, all of your compensations will be more than substantial upon completion." He turned to the girl he'd come to respect so much.

"Haruhi, if you're as quick as you used to be, you won't have to let it get to that point. After you get him relaxed enough, any moment before that would be preferable. I don't want you to have to go through…that…either. Believe it or not, I care for you kids and I don't like putting you in danger like this. Be that as it may, considering his violent history, I would entrust this mission to no other female in your class. You are the only one who has both the skill to get in and the stamina to fight long-term if need be. If it gets to the point of no return, you are the only one I believe has a chance of coping with it, psychologically."

"Well, guess what?" She said, venom oozing off every word, "If it comes to that, surprise, I'm not exactly ready for it. Believe it or not, not every female is as experienced as Professor Bitch by the time she's sixteen." She glanced at her watch. 1:45. The Host Club would be meeting up soon. She huffed and glared at her former teacher. "I'm going to need time to think about this."

"There's no thinking about it. There's no way I'm letting you do this."

"Karma, do not pretend you have any authority to tell _me_ what _I_ can and cannot do. Don't forget, I can still go head to head with you. I'm not going to make a decision like this on the spot. There's a lot more than just my virginity riding on this one and even that's bad enough. I don't think you, Mr. Karasama, expected me to decide here and now, either. How long do I have?"

"I can give you a week, tops. Then I will have to go with my next best option. Kayano is second best at infiltration, only to you. But she does not have your stamina or your fighting abilities." At the mention of her name, Nagisa started shivering. So he still had a thing for her, did he?

"Fine. A week it is. Now I need to go or my Host Club friends will start hunting me down any minute. Karma? Nagisa? Do you two want to come with me and mess with them a little bit?" She grinned sadistically. "Could be fun and I definitely need to take my mind off this case."

"Nah, I gotta get home to mom. The only reason I came out today was because I wanted to see you again. Still can't believe you chopped off your long hair. But you pull off the androgynous thing better than I ever have. Hopefully I see you sooner than a year next time, though."

"I'm down for that. I'll never pass up a chance to mess with some clueless rich boys." With that, Karasama and Nagisa both stood and left. Karma took her hand, causing Haruhi's cheeks to flush lightly, and they both made off to find the Host Club.

Every once in a while, his hand would tighten around hers and she would look at him. His eyes were fading back into their beautiful golden color, but she knew he was still livid at what the government wanted of her. She pulled out her phone again and looked at the target name. Who would have thought the father of one of her most trusted friends might be the next person she killed mercilessly? She closed out of the document and put her phone away, sighing heavily, all thoughts turned to one Ootori Yoshio.


	8. And so the Hosts Met Him

And so the Hosts Met Him

"Hold on a minute," she stopped. "Before we get there, you need to know something about my friends. They are fiercely protective over me. Seriously, they are going to lose it when they see you with me. Prepare yourself for a fight. Hopefully it won't come to that but don't be surprised. Remember what I told you happened when they met my old friend, Arai? We weren't even that close. I can't imagine how they're going to react as close as _we_ are.

"Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai know about 3-E. I had to tell them. I needed their help in keeping the rest of the club off my back while we were meeting with Karasama." She giggled. "I told them I would make them honorary 3-E classmates, complete with their own codenames. They're actually the two most talented martial arts masters Japan has to offer on record. Though Ritsu did let it slip that about half our class could take them down if they all kept up their skills. You should have seen their faces when she told them _I_ could even best them."

"Wait so you told them about us? Haru, you know we aren't supposed to tell anybody. Not even our parents know. Your dad doesn't know, does he?"

"No, Karma. I never said a word. He's still just as clueless and doting as ever. But trust me when I say Mori-senpai and Honey-senpai can be trusted with secrecy. Please don't be mad at me but I have my reasons. I'm not going to tell them what the briefing entailed. But they can be helpful for me in the future if I go through with this, either by distracting the club or by just giving me someone to talk to-" He pressed his finger against her lips, effectively shutting her ramblings.

"Hey, hey Haru," he lifted her face to his and gazed at her softly. "If you say we can trust them, I'm with you. Now about this overprotective thing. Any ideas on how to make it easier to befriend them? I don't plan on leaving you this week until I know if I'm working with you again, my dear."

"But what about school? You still have the top spot at Kunugigaoka High. You don't need to risk that with Asuno waiting at every turn for you to mess up."

"You need to stop worrying so much. We're on vacation this week, same as you fancy Ouran guys. Besides, even if we weren't, I would still be here for you. To listen when you need me. To give you advice your friends can't give."

"If you're going to insist," she replied slyly, "I think I might have an idea as to how you can gain instant approval. I told you they were overprotective of me, right? So what if I get myself into a scenario where you come to my 'rescue' before they can reach me? Bonus points from the twins if you can slip in your wasabi and hot mustard hold."

"I get to use my favorite hold, rescue a pretty damsel, _and_ mess with some rich kids all in the same afternoon? It must be my birthday!" She laughed at his antics as his eyes widened at her prospect.

"Glad to know you're on board. Now just hang back behind me and watch for an opening."

She skipped on ahead, sending Mori and Honey a text telling them she was done and asking where to meet them. Having an answer almost instantaneously, she made a beeline for the location, pausing only when she could hear Tamaki's panicked voice and see Mori towering over everyone with Honey on his shoulders. He started waving at her, causing the others to search frantically until they spotted her. Good.

A quick glance around her immediate radius, and she bumped into the largest man she could find, bouncing backwards onto the ground. Only she twisted her body so it appeared as if he pushed her. The indignant cries of the host club told her they had seen exactly what she wanted them to but they still weren't close enough to do anything. Suddenly Karma was in front of her, his eyes tinged red, evil smirk on his face. He tapped the man's shoulder.

"Excuse me, sir, but I believe you just shoved this pretty, young lady to the ground." Their victim looked around, clueless. Then he noticed Haruhi plopped on the ground, appearing bewildered and a little hurt. By this time, the Host Club had joined the people circling them. She gave Honey and Mori a pointed glance, telling them not to interfere, as it seemed like Tamaki and the twins were on the verge of doing just that.

"Oh, I'm so sorry dear, I didn't even feel it. Here, let me help you." He extended his hand to her. Karma grabbed his outstretched arm, leering at him. If Haruhi hadn't been so shelled-up, she might have felt sorry for him. After all, he didn't do anything wrong. He was just a means to her desired end.

"You're not sorry yet, but you will be." In seconds, he had the stranger on the ground, hog-tied in a rope he pulled from who knows where. Karma pulled out his trust face immobilizer and latched its hooks in each nostril and the corners of his opponent's mouth. What he did next had the gathered audience cringing and shaking to his cackles and to the victim's screeches. The twins were cheering him on, as she'd expected and the other hosts looked like they were about to be sick.

Once each nostril was filed to overflow with wasabi and spicy mustard, Karma hopped off and dusted his hands. He looked around at his audience and they were quick to flee the scene. Only Haruhi, Karma, and the host club remained. He turned to her, helping her up.

"Thanks for the help"

"You're welcome, miss. Wait…Haruhi? Is that you?!" So they were dealing the reunion card, were they? Alright, she'll play along.

"Karma?! Oh my gosh, I haven't seen you since we graduated! How are you?" She threw her arms around his neck with the same enthusiasm she did earlier and felt him pick her up, swinging her in circles.

"I've been good. Kunugigaoka misses its top female student though." He chuckled into her hair before pulling away. "Not that you look so much like a girl now, what the hell did you do to your hair? You look like a boy! A very pretty boy, I'll grant you. But you made a much prettier girl. I can't believe you never sent me any pictures of this!"

"Right before high school started, some kid in my neighborhood got gum in my hair. So I cut it off. The friends I made when I started Ouran forced me to have it styled."

She turned to the Host Club at that point. If she hadn't been so in control of her emotions, she would have laughed at their faces. The twins delight at Karma's antics and method of defending her turned into mirrors of fury at her warm reception of him. Tamaki was shaking with the effort it took not to pull him away from her. Kyouya was so unnerved by Karma that he was sweating. Honey was staring at him, openly curious. Mori was the only one who had his expression masked. She guessed he'd already figured out it was a set-up for them to meet him under terms most favorable to him.

"Actually, it was these guys here who did it. Karma, meet the Ouran High School Host Club."

She introduced them individually and told him their host type. Knowing full well he already knew who they were, she kept the introductions as short as possible. But she made sure to include details on each that she knew he would connect with. The reason for doing so was two-fold. On one hand, she really did want them to all get along and the only way Karma was going to play nice was if he respected something in them. Secondly, hearing her pride in them was a quick way to mollify her more outspoken friends.

When he heard Kyouya's last name, she could see the shift in his demeanor. He stiffened. His eyes narrowed at him and turned red. He was preparing to attack. Kyouya saw it too and paled. She needed to step in fast.

"Karma," she said softly, placing a hand on his arm. He calmed at her touch, not completely, but enough to listen. "I know what you're thinking. No, this isn't him. The guy you're thinking of is his father." The hosts noted his instant reaction to her. Kyouya looked slightly relieved and she saw him relax. The twins and Tamaki seemed furious. Honey appeared fascinated. Mori was harder to read but she knew he was watching intently. Kyouya spoke up.

"I'm sorry," his voice masking any apprehension, "Karma, was it? What do you have against my father?"

"Oh, it's nothing Kyouya-senpai. I told him what happened last week at the fair. He didn't appreciate the way your father spoke to you any more than I did. Isn't that _right, Karma_?" She nudged him surreptitiously. She knew the others wouldn't catch it but she wasn't so sure about her shrewd senpai. His glasses were glared over so she couldn't see his eyes.

"Yeah, that's right," Oh good. His cocky voice was back. He got the message. And probably understood now why she'd said the assignment was a conflict of interest. "I don't take too kindly to people who would belittle their children in public like that, or at all to be honest. If I had been there, I probably wouldn't have been as nice as Haruhi told me she was." She laughed.

"Yeah, he'd probably have needed an ambulance after the first altercation, wouldn't he? All I did was yell at him. You would have pounced." She turned to Kyouya. "By the way, I don't think I ever apologized for that. I hope I didn't embarrass you that day."

"No harm done. Though I did have quite an interview with him about you when I got home that night. It must have been the longest and most civil conversation I'd ever had with him. I suppose I should thank you for that, and for your friend's concern. Apparently, that's not the only thing I have to thank you for, either. According to Tamaki, you were able to convince them all to leave for this carnival without me. I must ask how you possibly managed that. I've been trying to get them to leave me alone for years."

Her cheeks flushed at the possible indications of an interview with his father about her but otherwise ignored the comment. "It wasn't really anything I said, per se. They started banging on my door early this morning wanting me to be the one to wake you up after Tamaki-senpai's failed attempt. I only told them I thought it might be a better idea to let you sleep in and meet up with us later." She smiled innocently. "I thought you would have more fun with us if you were well rested and they agreed."

"Yeah right, if she'd glared at us like that any longer, we'd be pushing up daisies by now," Hikaru muttered to his brother and they both started snickering.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" she frowned, instantly shutting them up and paling their faces. They hadn't realized she'd heard them.

"Nothing, Haruhi. What do you guys say we head back to the estate? It's starting to get about time for dinner." They all looked at their watches. 5:40 already. Haruhi hadn't slept all night and she'd only had a steambun earlier that morning. It was a wonder she was still on her feet. The other hosts readily consented. Honey then surprised them all.

"Hika-chan, Kao-chan, is it alright with you guys if Karma joins us? I want to get to know him more."

"Yeah," Mori agreed, further shocking their present company.

Tamaki decided to put in his two cents. "You know, this could be another great way to find out what Haruhi was like in middle school. Arai didn't have much interesting to say except that she turned him down. What do you say, Hikaru? Kaoru?"

Kaoru looked more than accommodating to including Karma for their dinner plans. But it seemed Hikaru needed some convincing. He was still torn on how he felt towards Haruhi's fiery 3rd year friend. She decided to give him a nudge.

"Please, Hika?" She pouted and tilted her head in the way she knew would get him to agree to anything. She'd never called him that before and the effect was insane. His cheeks flamed and he started looking everywhere but at her. Kaoru hid his face behind his hand, chuckling at his brother's expense. The other hosts just stood there, stunned at her behavior.

"I have no problem with it. Do you, _Hika_?" Kaoru teased, receiving a scowl in return.

"Guess not." He muttered, still not looking at her. Her face lit up with excitement.

"Thank you, guys!" She said, running up and throwing her arms around their necks and causing Kaoru's face to blush and Hikaru's to deepen in color. Releasing them, she went back to her friend, grinning broadly.

"So? Would you care to join us, Karma?" He smiled at her.

"How can I say no to that face, Haru?" She giggled at his pet name for her as he tapped her nose. The hosts once again balked at his familiarity with their secret princess. Hikaru looked like he was on the verge of rescinding his permission. They needed to leave soon before there was any trouble. Unfortunately, Kyouya decided to up the tension ten-fold.

"Just how close are you two, anyway? The way you're acting together, one might think you were lovers." He smirked, knowing full well the can of worms he just opened.

"We were best friends back in our third year of Kunugigaoka Junior High," Karma covered, confidently. "Always wanted to ask her out but, well, let's just say we all stayed too busy for relationships. Never got around to it. Then we graduated and went to different high schools so there was no point. We kept contact though. She's told me all about you six and about pretending to be a boy in school." She started swaying a little bit, exhaustion and hunger starting to the better of her. Karma felt it and steadied her, looking at her with concern.

"I'm fine, Karma. But we should probably go and get that dinner soon." Her words were like a light switch. The twins came forward and lined themselves on either side of her, effectively shoving Karma out of the way. The trio led the way to the front gate and waiting limo, everyone else following close behind. She heard Kyouya calling for someone to retrieve and care for the stranger that Karma defended her against. Once inside the limo, she was placed between Kaoru and Karma. Her exhaustion gave over and she nodded off against Karma's shoulder, leaving the boys all free to talk.


	9. The Ride Back

The Ride Back

"You know, it really is too bad I don't get to see her more often. I miss her a lot," Karma said softly as he brushed a few stray hairs from her forehead. He was being honest but he also wanted to see just who had feelings for her and how strong they were. They could be nuisances when it came to getting together for planning the mission. If they got in the way, they would have to be dealt with.

The effect was instantaneous. Tamaki and Hikaru both started shaking with fury and jealousy. Kaoru placed a calming hand on his brother, to no avail, and looked upset. Kyouya's jaw was wired shut and his knuckles turned white as he clenched his fists, otherwise his face was impassive. Mori's face and body language was unreadable so he couldn't be sure on that front. He'd have to see Mori in action first. Honey just smiled sweetly.

Good, so he only had 3 people he really needed to keep an eye on. Even if the others _did_ have a thing for his Haru, they wouldn't do anything about it. Not that the girl on his should was _anyone's_ per se, but Karma really did adore her and would do anything to keep her happy.

"Keep your hands to yourself, pretty boy," Hikaru seethed, "just because you claim to be her best friend from over a year ago, does not give you any prerogative now. She's _our_ friend now. She doesn't need _you_. You'd do well to remember that. She's never said anything about you to us so as far as I'm concerned, you don't even register on her radar. You say she's told you about us? I don't believe it. Why wouldn't she say anything to us about you? Why do you never hang out with her? You abandoned her as soon as you graduated, didn't you? Some friend you are," he sneered.

The other hosts were stunned by the older twin's outburst and, recalling what happened between Karma and the man who knocked their princess to the ground, they were more than a little concerned, too. Even Tamaki blanched at the spiteful words thrown from Hikaru's mouth. Kyouya, wanting the same information, turned his face to the still golden-eyed boy who had been so warmly greeted by the female host on his shoulder. Mori and Honey tensed, preparing to defend and protect. But there was no need. Karma was as relaxed as ever, and quite unwilling to rouse Haruhi. He turned to his adversary.

"Hitachiin Hikaru, class 1-A, the older twin. The instigator of the many Hitachiin trademark pranks. You were the first one to claim Haruhi as your _toy_ as soon as you discovered she could tell you apart. When it comes to fashion, your designs tend to be a bit edgier and racier than your brother's. You like to play the batter in your little twincest act at the Host Club. You had to switch places with your brother for the date with Haruhi in Karugizawa because he claimed to be sick. You abandoned her during a thunderstorm, the one and only thing she fears. You are a very jealous and possessive person who doesn't always know how to control his temper. Do I need to continue?"

Hikaru sputtered at the in-depth character analysis presented by Karma. He'd hit every nail on its head efficiently and accurately. The other hosts were equally stunned as well at just how much he knew about the older twin and wondered how much he knew about themselves as well. They weren't dumb enough to ask. He could tell the twins apart and knew exactly the person Hikaru was. He had proven himself with just one breakdown. How else could he have known all that if not for Haruhi? But that still didn't answer why they didn't know about him.

"Not an inaccurate description, I'll give you that. But if you know so much about our dear Hikaru, then humour me," Kyouya started, "why has she said nothing about you? We are her closest friends now, after all. We certainly see her a lot more frequently than you do."

"Have you ever bothered to ask?" The hosts deadpanned and Karma smirked. "Really? Not once in the last year did any of you ever think she might have talked to people she knew outside of your little club? Her friends from 3rd year don't see her anymore, not by choice, but because you six take it upon yourselves to surprise her at every turn.

"You show up at her house uninvited and unexpectedly, you whisk her away whenever you feel like it. You never bother to check with her beforehand to see if she might have plans. Not that she can get a word in, edgewise from what I hear from her. Even if she did have plans with us, you wouldn't listen and would just do with her what you wanted anyway because of that never-ending debt you placed on her.

"Here's the reason her friends from 3rd year don't hang out with her anymore: she told us to stay away because she knew that a) we would take issue with the way you've been treating her, b) you would ignore her anyway if she did mention us, and c) she never knew when you six would ensnare her time so she never knew when she could plan for us to hang out with her. Now that said debt is gone, you're likely to see a great change in her.

"You are right to call yourselves her best friends. She thinks very highly of all of you. From what she tells me, and that is everything, she holds you all in the highest respects. Despite everything you've done to her, despite everything you've all put her through daily, you are closer friends to her than almost anyone. That is not something you should take as lightly as you have been. If it were up to me, I'd've told her to ditch you all a long time ago. You mistreat her, you disrespect her, you push her to her limits and beyond them, you ignore her wishes. Sans two of you, you don't deserve to call yourselves her friends. But it is not up to me. It is Haru's decision and she, funny enough, often feels like _she_ is the unworthy one. Not that she'd ever tell you that. I strongly suggest you all think about the type of friendship you want with her from here on out and I heartily recommend you never mention this little conversation of ours to her."

Silence followed the fiery redhead's speech for the rest of the drive back to the estate as each host lost himself in deep thought. The atmosphere was thick. Everyone felt the humming tension that threatened just under the surface. Everyone except the peaceful little brunette who slept the entire trip, a faint smile playing at her lips as she dreamed. As the limo pulled into the driveway of the Hitachiin Estate, Karma halted the hosts.

"Let me ask you all one more thing before I wake her up and we go inside like none of this ever happened." The hosts held their breath, almost afraid of what he was going to inquire of them. "Have any of you ever bothered to ask why she is so terrified of thunderstorms to begin with? I know you all know she is afraid of them and I know she did not tell you of her own free will. But do any of you know the reason for it?"

He watched while they all tensed simultaneously as the realization fell upon them that, even after almost a year of knowing her, they still had so very little basic information about their only hostess. Even Mori and Honey were only just scratching the surface that was Fujioka Haruhi.

"I'm going to guess the answer is no. How interesting that you still have the nerve to call yourselves her friends. Alright, Morinozuka, Honinozuka, will you help me get her into her room? I've changed my mind about waking her up. Something tells me she didn't sleep well last night, or at all." They readily agreed to assist, knowing there was more to his request than he let on.


	10. Learn Your Place

Learn You Place

Karma reached one of his arms around, underneath her knees. With the other, he supported her back and carefully brought her into his lap. He sensed the sullen hosts bristle but he was beyond caring at this point. He's pointed out all he had wanted to say to them for a while now. Anything more would simply be wasted. Fluidly stepping out of the limo, he allowed the two Host Club graduates to lead him to her room while the rest of the boys followed closely. Their presence was starting to get on his nerves. He still needed to speak to the oldest members and the others were getting in the way.

Of course, getting rid of the Host Club was never an easy process. His conversations with Haruhi should have warned him that much. Instead of simply allowing their eldest members and most skilled fighters to escort him to the girl's room, they followed the group of four. His patience was wearing thin. Keeping himself calm for the sake of the peaceful girl in his arms, he took a deep breath. After Honey had opened her bedroom door and Mori had turned down the covers on her bed, he gently placed her and drew the blanket to her chin. Gazing at her fondly for just a moment before turning his eyes on the hosts, he spoke softly so as to not disturb his Haru.

"You go on ahead and eat. I'll wait up here for her to wake. I want to talk to her some more and then we will be down."

"Yeah right, you'll 'just wait'. There's no way in hell we'd leave you alone with her," Hikaru sneered.

"Fair enough," he replied smugly, "you don't know me. Anyone would be suspicious. So how about Morinozuka and Honinozuka stay up here with me. You trust them, don't you? You think they would be sufficient to take care of her? Regardless, I will stay."

"Hell no you're not stayin' up here without me!"

"Hika-chan, do you think we wouldn't be able to protect Haruhi if she needs us to?" Cute Honey was gone at the inference that his and his cousin's skills were inadequate, even if he did know Haruhi wouldn't need their help, might never need their protection again. Whether she needed them or not, Honey was none too pleased at being insulted.

"N-not at all, Honey-senpai. I was just saying that we don't know this guy. How do we trust his intentions? It would be safer for Haruhi if I stayed with her to make sure she's alright. The more people up here, the better protected she is, right?"

"So you think Takashi and I are not enough?" The black aura of Host Club Demon 2 was starting to radiate from the bunny-loving senpai.

"Come on, Hikaru," the younger twin inserted, trying to keep peace. "Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai, they've got this. The guy will be dead before he can make the first lunge for her. In the meantime, they can get to know him better and tell us if he's trustworthy with our toy or not. We trust their judgement, don't we? Besides, weren't you hungry?"

Hikaru still looked torn. Glancing around, Kyouya looked relatively bored with the situation, though his glasses were glared over so it was hard to tell. Tamaki was cowering behind him, trying to get as far away from Honey as possible while still listening to the conversation. It was clear where he stood at least. Mori seemed stoic as ever, though a slight turn down of the corners of his mouth let his mild irritation with the older twin known. Honey was continually releasing more of his inner demon as the silence went on.

"Alright, it's cool. I'll come down to dinner with you guys. No big. Let me just send her a text real quick to let her know that I'll be waiting down on the beach later tonight when she wakes up. We can talk then." Karma smirked, whipping out his phone. This bunch was easy play. A voice groaned from behind them as a messy head poked out of the covers.

"Or we can go ahead and chat now since I'm already awake thanks to you idiots." The guys turned towards the grumpy voice to see a bleary-eyed Haruhi sitting up, with hair sticking out everywhere. 'So cute' was the thought on each of the 7 minds. She yawned, her lips shaping into a perfect 'o', and stretched the sleepy stiffness from her limbs. She tilted her head at her friends, most of whom were now sporting a raging blush.

"What's up, guys? Do I have a bit of drool on my face or something?" She put her fingers to her lips and swiped them slowly across, causing a drip or two of blood to come out of some noses, but a glint in her eyes told Karma that she was just playing them up. So he decided to join her game. Sauntering over to her, he tilted her chin to his face with his thumb, and used a finger to lightly scratch at the corner of her mouth.

"A little, maybe. But I think they were blushing because of how adorable you look when you've just woken up, with your wild-looking bedhead and that cute face you made when you yawned." He was just teasing her as she teased her friends but what he didn't expect was the barest dusting of pink that flashed across her cheeks. In a blink, it was gone and he had to wonder if he'd imagined it. Suddenly he was being yanked away by a tall blonde and temperamental auburn.

"STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER YOU CRETIN!"

"You tell 'im, Tono! Haruhi belongs to us!" Tamaki heard not a word of that as he was too lost inside his own delusions.

"Don't you worry, Haruhi, DADDY WILL PROTECT YOU! I'll save you and then we can run away to somewhere safe where no one will ever bother you again!"

"What?! You can't do that! She's OUR toy! If anyone is running away with her, it's gonna be me and Kaoru!"

"That's right, boss!" Shouted the younger twin in defense of their friend and his brother. The two still had a tight hold on Karma and he was getting pissed. But one look at the girl and he knew she would handle the situation. And handle it she did.

Without warning the third demon of the Ouran Host Club burst out and engulfed the entire room in seconds. Karma's eyes widened, as he didn't even know she held so much rage and power in her tiny body. Honey had jumped into Mori's arms and was starting to whimper. Tamaki and Hikaru dropped their charge and turned to bolt out of the room. Kyouya and Mori sweatdropped.

"You two," She seethed at the escaping fiends…er…friends, "Stop right there. Just who the hell do you think you are?! I belong to no one, damnit! Hitachiin, I am NOT your toy. Souh, I am most definitely NOT your daughter! And I would _certainly_ never 'run away' with EITHER of you! Karma is my best friend. He has been since our 3rd year and will continue to be. You _will_ treat him with as much respect as that title deserves or there _will_ be consequences. I hope we have a _very_ clear understanding of this because I will not repeat myself again." What was left of the dissipated forms of Tamaki and Hikaru nodded.

"Good. Now, Hikaru, Kaoru, Tamaki-senpai, get the hell out of my room. The rest of you, stay here. I have something to say to you." The twins and the blonde bolted like they were being shot at, grateful to escape further wrath of the deadly third demon. Karma leaned against the wall and smirked, Honey still sobbed 'scary' in Mori's patient arms. Mori looked interested, Kyouya merely looked curious, though still a little unnerved by the sweet, petite, and suddenly unpredictable woman in front of him. She slammed the door behind the three who exited, and turned with precise slowness to her audience.


	11. Dinner Plans

Dinner Plans

"On the balcony, please, boys. I don't wish to be overheard if those idiots decided to listen through the door." Leading the charge, she stalked through the group and stepped out onto her balcony, looking down the two stories to the sand below. They followed her and after Mori closed the door behind them, she turned.

"First of all, I-" Haruhi was interrupted before she even began by a loud, low grumble emanating from her stomach. She blushed as Karma and Honey started snickering and Kyouya smirked.

"I think Haru-chan's a little hungry, don't you, Takashi?" Honey giggled.

"Yeah." Came the monotoned response from her most stoic friend, though anyone could see the amused twinkle in his eyes.

"Honestly, Haru," Karma chuckled, "when did you eat last anyway?"

Her blush deepened. "I don't know. Probably breakfast yesterday? Unless you count the steambun I had this morning." Kyouya shook his head.

"You know, you really should eat regularly. Imagine if you suddenly collapsed due to a lack of nutrition. Not only would I then have to take care of you, I would be left to deal with the trio of idiots and tell your father. I would have no choice but to start a whole new debt." Clearly Kyouya was back in his element of nonchalant teasing. She just rolled her eyes at all of them.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. I need to eat more. I've been more than a bit preoccupied the past couple of days, alright? Actually, this might be the perfect opportunity to talk to each other without interference. Okay, new plan. The five of us are going into town for dinner. Who wants to call the car?"

"I'll do it, Haru-chan!"

"Thank you, Honey-senpai. Or, since we had an agreement and you were successful today, shall I call you by…your new codename?" She winked conspiratorially at him before turning to a confused Kyouya and saying "I'll explain later." She knew he hated not knowing something and this was just enough information to keep him interested and with them. Excitement poured off her shortest senpai as he looked on her with anticipation.

"Really? Well? What is it? Do you get to pick it out or can we choose one for ourselves? What's Takashi's?"

"Woah woah, Honey-senpai, calm down," she replied, giggling. "Traditionally, we give each other codenames. It was Karma who gave me mine. It was another friend of ours, Nakamura, who gave him his. For you, I was thinking…" she paused, causing the blonde to start bouncing from one foot to the other. Karma decided to interject.

"You say traditionally like it was a standard thing. It happened once and they just stuck with us, Haru." Before he could say another word, Honey spoke up again.

"What's my codename, Haru-chan?" She took pity on her friend and decided to end his torment.

"The name I came up for you is definitely Sugar-loaded Surprise," she said, laughing at his impatient antics. Karma started laughing too.

"Girl, you sure know how to pick 'em. I can't think of anything cleverer for, or more like him!"

"I love it Haru-chan! But what's the surprise? And what's Takashi's name? You didn't forget to think of one for him, did you?"

"Of course not, Honey-senpai. How could anyone forget our sweet and lovable giant?" She turned and beamed at him, causing his eyes to widen slightly, transfixed, as he received the full force of the smile that caused every man she met to fall for her. "I've decided his codename is simply going to be Poker Face. His unreadability is, after all, his greatest asset for any situation. Don't look so disappointed, Mori-senpai," she said after she caught the miniscule downturn of his lips and the minute slump of his shoulders, things no one else had picked up on, "those who know you best always know what you're thinking and how you feel. That's what's important. You know how dangerous having all cards on the table can be." He considered her for a moment while the others looked on in fascination, before surprising them all.

Grasping her hands in his, he looked her in the eye and replied, "Haruhi, you are the only person who has ever known me well enough to know what I'm thinking and how I'm feeling. You read through me and see past every barrier I've ever constructed every day without fail. You are the only one who knows exactly what to say, when to say it, and how, in order to give us strength and encouragement to carry on even in our weakest moments or to put us back in our place when we cross the line, whether you realize it or not.

It is not just me who feels this way. You have done the same thing to each man in our Host Club time and time again. You love us and know us each for exactly who we are because you've stripped away all the guards we all protect ourselves with. For that and so much more, I am honored to be considered your friend and, when needed, your co-conspiritor. If 'Poker Face' is the codename you have bestowed upon me, I will be honored to wear it with pride." Silence fell as he ended his speech, the longest any present had ever heard him give. Tears shimmered in Haruhi's eyes, though she refused to let them fall.

"You're sleepy again, aren't you, Mori-senpai?" she choked out through the lump in her throat. His eyes crinkled as he granted her one of his rare smiles and ruffled her hair affectionately.

"Not in the slightest." It was true. The words Karma had spoken to them in the limo had been weighing heavily on him. Particularly the bit about Haruhi often feeling undeserving of their friendship. He never realized she'd felt that way, though he prided himself on being one of the most observant in the group. If anyone was undeserving, it was the rest of them. They were the ones who never looked beyond the surface of Haruhi, assuming that's all there was. They were the ones who took her and her friendship for granted, never giving a second thought to her wants or needs. They continuously insulted her and her upbringing. Karma was right. They did not deserve to know her let alone be her friend. If she needed to hear how important she was to them, then he would make it known, stoic nature be damned.

"Takashi's right, you know," Honey-senpai said, walking up to where she stood, "Most people look at me and just see the cute side of me or the martial arts side. You have only ever seen both sides of me equally. You don't see one or the other. And you don't treat me like a child either. You accept all aspects of me and still see the seventeen-year-old that I am. Yet you take care of me the same way you take care of the rest of us. You are always the first to recognize if something is bothering any of us and the first to try to do something about it, whether that be giving us a pep talk, telling us we were wrong, or just sitting beside us and giving us your silent support. I know I speak for the Host Club when I say we all appreciate you and love you just as you appreciate and love us."

Kyouya was beyond confused and frustrated, though he kept up an impassive mask. Why was he even here? What was this strong and sudden camaraderie between Haruhi and their senpais? That certainly was not there yesterday. What had happened between the three of them to inspire this level of companionship? What were they talking about with the whole 'codename' business? He was missing something and he had a feeling it was something big. Haruhi had said she'd explain later, but explain what? Why she was giving them codenames? Or something more? It must be serious if she was only letting in those present and not the whole club. And who, exactly is this Karma? Why does the redhead know so much about Haruhi and the rest of them? Speaking of Haruhi, she's even been acting strange since they'd gotten here. Since when is she flirty? Or could run the way she during the game of tag? Since when is she so confident?

It seemed he was the only one on the balcony who didn't have the full story and that seriously irked him. He didn't like not knowing things and he certainly didn't like being the last to know anything. He'd be patient because that is what Haruhi had asked of him but all of this was starting to give him a headache. After the heartfelt confessions of his senpais to the girl, he decided enough was enough. He _had_ to know what was going on. And he'd guessed he would be told at dinner.

Clearing his throat to gain their attention, he said, "While I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiments of both Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai, I thought you wanted to get dinner, Haruhi." She sniffed, bringing herself back to the present.

"You're right, Kyouya-senpai. Alright so the plan is for Honey-senpai to call a car to the front of the house. We will exit here and meet it there so that we don't have to avoid Tamaki-senpai and the twins. Once we are in the car, we will go into town and have a quiet dinner together."

"What exactly do you mean we will 'exit here'? In case you haven't noticed, we are on the second floor on your balcony. There's only one way out and it's through your bedroom doors." She smirked. 'Lesson one, Shadow King,' she thought. 'Don't underestimate me again.' Without another word, she backflipped onto the balcony railing before pushing off only to land gracefully in the sand moments later. The boys, minus Karma, rushed to the edge, wanting to make sure she was okay and she laughed at them.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" One by one they followed suite until the only man left on the balcony was Kyouya who leaned over the railing wearily, stunned that Haruhi had just jumped off and actually stuck the landing. Since when was she graceful? He didn't attempt to do any fancy flips like the others but his touchdown was solid and unshakable. He was not to be outdone by anyone.

Dusting his hands together, he straightened his posture. "Shall we make our way to the front then?" Sounds and gestures of agreements met him and they all turned as one to meet the car. The Host Club led the way as Haruhi and Karma hung back to clear up any tracks they made.

"Haru, are you sure about letting Kyouya know about 3-E?" Karma muttered to his closest friend, "I know you respect him and trust him but I'm not so sure." She smiled softly at him.

"Karma, I have known Kyouya-senpai for almost a full year now. He is hard to read, it's true. And he's manipulative, detached, cold, and calculating to a fault. But he's also fiercely protective of those he counts as friends and I know that includes me, though he may never admit it aloud. He's ruthless in response to any threats against them. He has never given me a reason to mistrust him. Even just last night, he proved my trust in him was not misplaced." She knew her best friend, lately the subject of her affections, and knew his fears were mollified. He trusted her and if she trusted Kyouya-senpai, he would too. "That's not the only thing on your mind, is it?"

He chuckled quietly. "You always could read me like an open book, my dear. However, anything else must wait until we can talk at length alone."

"Yeah, I was wondering how we would accomplish that. You've seen how protective they are over me and how jealous they all get. As long as you're around, they won't leave us be." A sly look graced her features. "You wouldn't happen to have any ideas, would you?"

"Now that you mention it, I might have one or two thoughts," he replied, mirroring her expression. But their conversation was put to an end by the hyper voice of a short senior.

"Guys, will you hurry up? We're all waiting on you!" They sighed and quickened their pace while losing none of their focus on the task at hand. Catching up with the rest of the group, they all got into the limo and ventured into town for dinner.


	12. Meal Time!

Meal Time!

When the hosts and Karma stepped out approximately fifteen minutes later, all but Honey seemed surprised by the destination. They were standing in front of what appeared to be a trendy, upper-middle class Thai-Japanese fusion restaurant. Walking in, each was taken in by the simplistic elegance of the place. From the dark wood furnishings to the low lighting that gave the space a warm feel.

"Good evening," chirped the hostess, clearly taken with the men of the group, "How many in your party?" Honey gave the girl his name and she led them to a private room. After explaining that their server would be with them shortly, she left the group to its own devices.

"Not a bad choice, Honey-senpai. Where did you hear of this place?" Haruhi asked, as Mori pulled out her chair for her before settling himself on her left. Karma took to her right, Kyouya beside him, and Honey in the remaining spot.

"Actually, I let my driver pick for us. He grew up in the area and lived here before he came to work for us. He knows all the best places."

"Be sure to thank him for me. This is really nice so far."

"I'm glad you think so, miss." She jumped, not having heard the door open nor their waiter enter. Their waiter who happened to be quite handsome, now that she took him in. His eyes were a bright spring green in contrast to his shoulder-length black hair. Interesting. It's not many who could get the drop on her so easily. "Oh, I didn't mean to startle you. Forgive me." The attractive waiter bowed his head to her.

"There's nothing to forgive. It's my own fault for not paying attention." She flashed him her trademark natural host smile. He blushed, took their drink orders, gave them menus, and took his leave.

"Honestly Haru, is it your goal in life to get every man you meet to fall head over heels for you?"

"Huh? Oh shut up." She nudged him playfully before opening her menu. "Besides, if _that_ was my goal, he'd already be stumbling." She winked at the boys surrounding her. Honey giggled. Kyouya looked bemused. Mori, impassive as ever. Karma seemed thoughtful.

"Oh, before I forget," she pulled out her phone and sat it on the table. "Ritsu," her pink-haired friend lit up the screen again, this time, much more awake than last night. "Can you scan for bugs again and jam the phones? I don't want anyone being able to track our position. That includes my three idiot friends."

"Done. Hey Karma!" She greeted warmly.

"What's up, Moe Box?" She bristled and her face turned red. He smirked.

" _Moe Box?!_ Really?! You know how I feel about that stupid codename! I know it was you who wrote that down! You always did know just how to piss me off! I'll show you Moe Box!" She was spitting fire and didn't even realize he'd started laughing. Haruhi even started giggling. Suddenly Karma jumped up from his seat, grabbing his phone out of his back pocket and tossing it onto the table to join Haruhi's.

"Did you just shock me?!"

"So what if I did?" she retorted, "Serves you right for that stupid nickname." She stuck her tongue out at him. Haruhi lost it at that point. She doubled over in her chair, clutching her stomach, and laughed like she hadn't in years. The offended look on Karma's face, the petulant reaction her mobile friend gave in return, it was too much for the brunette.

"Oh my gods, it's been way too long since I've heard the two of you bickering!" she forced out between breaths. "Gotta say, you two together, hasn't changed a bit!" Karma scratched the back of his neck and returned to his seat. Her laughter died down but it hadn't stopped completely when the waiter returned with their drinks.

When she turned to accept hers, the poor guy got full blast of a pure, happy, Haruhi smile. The one that made her whole face light up and shine. His throat seized up and when she thanked him softly, still trying to catch her breath, he forgot how to breathe himself. He was entirely spellbound by the radiant girl in front of him. So much so that he completely forgot she was surrounded by men who were now staring at him, none too kindly.

"Are you planning to take our orders, or continue to gawk at the only girl in the room." Kyouya sneered. He may not be sure what was going on in regards to Haruhi anymore. He may be completely frustrated by that fact. But though he understood the waiter's reaction, hell everyone was riveted to her in that moment, he still believed she deserved better than some common tripe gaping at her.

"O-oh s-sorry about that. Yes, of course. Uh, have have you decided what you'd like t-t-to eat?" He stammered, glancing around the table, paling at the cold stares of each man present. He jotted their choices down and left as quickly as he could without so much as a second peek at the breathtaking brunette with them. He might just send their food with another waiter and hide out in the kitchens instead.

"Senpai, that was rude and unnecessary. I know you're impatient to hear what I have to say because you feel left out but you didn't have to reduce the waiter to tears."

"Haru-chan, Kyo-chan just said what the rest of us were thinking. None of us liked the way he was looking at you."

"What do you mean?" There was a collective groan around the table, each man sporting a similar look of exasperation with the female host. Even Ritsu was shaking her head.

"You really don't know what you do to the boys around you when you're not even trying, do you?" Ritsu asked. At Haruhi's continued confusion, she sighed heavily. "Never mind. Maybe one day you'll get it."

"Whatever, let's just get down to business, shall we?" She said, tired of her friend's insistence that she was somehow alluring when all she was doing was trying to stop laughing at them. She lightly slapped her hands on the table and looked across from her, holding the shadow king's gaze. "Kyouya, I know you don't like to show your whole hand until you know what's being played but humour me this time. I need to know what you know. Tell me everything you know about me." He was quiet for a moment, considering her carefully. She really did know him better than anyone. Of course, his senpais had expressed similar observations earlier. Perhaps this ability to read people and her blunt honesty was why his father had ordered him to court the girl after the festival.

"You are 15, a scholarship student in class 1-A, your intelligence is rival only to my own. You strive to emulate your late mother and become an attorney upon graduation from law school. Your mother, a respectable attorney herself, died when you were five years old. Your doting father, sworn never to love another woman, became a transvestite and has been working in a bar ever since. You love otoro and are terrified of thunderstorms." The others looked confused. They all knew this stuff about her.

"Oh come on, senpai. There's no way that's all you've got on me. Everyone knows that much. You're the Shadow King for a reason. I know there's more in that brain of yours than that."

"Sorry for disappointing you, Haruhi, but it's clear I am missing a lot of information. Information that it seems every other person here has. Therefore, I see no reason to disclose all of my intel until you've disclosed yours." She sat back in her chair, eyeing him, trying to see past the glare of his glasses. Before she can start, the door behind her opens again, a cute waitress bringing in their food. She eyed the boys lustfully but seemed to glare at Haruhi. The waitress flirted shamelessly with each male in the room as she handed him his plate. Then practically dropped Haruhi's plate on her lap as she barely gave her a thinly veiled scowl and backed out of the room.

"Seriously, I deal with that on a daily basis being around you guys and you can't handle one waiter giving me his undivided attention?" They shifted nervously as the reality of her situation set in with them. She really did put up with a lot being in the host club.

"There's a difference, Haruhi. You aren't physically capable of defending yourself should that 'one waiter' decide to take matters too far. I believe I've already made this point once before." Karma and Honey started laughing.

"Man, Ootori, I didn't know you had a sense of humour! Haru, not physically capable, that's funny stuff!"

"Whatever," she said, annoyed he would bring that up again. After all, she was still playing the role of sweet, innocent, harmless Haruhi at the time. She couldn't fight back or she would have blown her cover. "Senpai, do you want the whole story? I'll give you the whole story with Karma's and Ritsu's help. But so help me, Kyouya-senpai, if any of what we tell you leaves this group, there will be hell to pay. Do I have your word that you won't repeat anything we say?"

"Of course. What sort of friend would I be if I couldn't keep your confidence?"

"Did you get that, Ristu?" Upon hearing her friend's affirmative, she began the tale of class 3-E for the second time in two days. Honey and Mori listen as intently as before while the three E-Class friends take turns telling their story in between bites. Having had time to process it already, they still found it hard to believe but knew it to be true and enjoyed gleaning new details as Karma added his words. Kyouya, hearing it for the first time, was unquestionably floored. He had known he was missing information. He'd stated that outright. But he would never have guessed in his life it'd be information like _this_.

How had he never uncovered all of this? The thing that blew up the moon was her teacher for her entire 3rd year? She's a trained combat assassin? Top infiltrator in her class? Well he finally understood the codename thing but was it really nothing more than emulating professionals to sound cool? Compared to all this, he knew _nothing_ about the Host Club princess. Suddenly he realized how difficult a task his father had unknowingly set. How was he supposed to seduce her if he knew so little about her? How was he to convince her to date him when she seemed so enamored by her E-class friend? More than that now, just who the hell _was_ she?

Upon reaching the end of their 3rd year tale. Haruhi and Ristu started crying again. It was just as hard on them to remember that night this time as it was yesterday. Karma ended up holding Haruhi as Mori patted her back comfortingly, silently reminding her that he was there for her. Karma took a deep breath and continued describing everything that happened within that government-issued shield, bringing rapt attention from Honey and Mori who hadn't heard this part. Right down to pinning Koro-sensei's tentacles while Nagisa volunteered to be the one to plunge his knife into the heart of the octopus they'd all come to love so much. Ristu collected herself enough to show the hosts the news footage from that night. They watched as a reporter waved a microphone in front of Haruhi's face.

"Excuse me, miss. Won't you please tell the viewers at home how the yellow monster was finally subdued?"

"What?! He wasn't a monster! He was our teacher, and a damn good one!"

"Oh, you poor dear. Clearly prolonged exposure to this menace has warped her fragile mind into believing this tentacled monstrosity was actually good. I'm sure we can give her the psychological help she so desperately needs right now." They could see the indignation on the faces of the other E-class students as the reported continued to talk down to Haruhi. It was Okuda Manami who stepped up.

"You know, she's not lying. Koro-sensei was an incredible teacher to all of us and we won't stand by while you insult him just minutes after his…his death!"

"You tell 'em, Okuda! The name's Nakamura Rio and I'm here to tell you and all your viewers that we've had the best year of our lives _and_ we all got into our top pick high schools. That wouldn't have happened without Koro-sensei."

"Oh these poor children must be experiencing some form of Stockholm Syndrome. We will for sure get them in touch with some of the best psychologists in Japan."

"We don't need no damn psychologists!" Terasaka shouted.

"Clearly these children have been traumatized for horrors we can only imagine."

"That's enough, Ritsu. I think they get it." Karma said quietly, still holding a sobbing Haruhi. His head was tilted downward, red bangs shadowing his eyes.

"Right, sorry." She sniffed, dropping the footage and coming back into view.

"I don't get it," Honey sniveled, "Why don't I remember seeing any of this on the news?" The three friends shared a look.

"Government." They said in unison before laughing together. Karma was the first to collect himself.

"It violated the whole confidentiality thing and showed all our faces so Mr. K's team had it all wiped out and destroyed. But no one can touch Ritsu's core memory so she still has access to it. "

"Wow, Karma, I'm impressed." Ritsu taunted. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that was almost a compliment."

"Yeah well don't let it go to your already swollen head." She huffed and stuck her tongue out. Honey giggled at their antics and Mori's lips were upturned in amusement but Haruhi had stopped paying attention to them. She was staring intently at Kyouya who hadn't said anything.

"Senpai?" She called to him evenly.


	13. Kyouya's Declaration

Kyouya's Declaration

The Shadow King of Ouran Academy was shell-shocked and dumbfounded. Not that he let anyone know that, of course. His face remained its consistent impassive mask, glasses shielding all of his inner thoughts. Or perhaps it was simply frozen that way while he attempted to process everything he had just heard from the oh-so-innocent Haruhi and the not-so-innocent Karma. And what the hell is with that phone?! Isn't that the one the twins gave her?! How the hell did _he_ , of all people, know NONE of this? He, who prided himself for his ability to gather information and dig up the oldest bit of dirt on anybody! Wait, she was _loaded_?! Since when?! She had been paying for nothing regarding food, trips, anything! That sleazy commoner had been mooching off them this whole time?! What the hell does she need a scholarship for, anyway? And on top of that, she's trained in military attack and defense?! Why the hell was she thrown off the cliff then?! And the- oh shit, she could have kicked his ass to hell and back for what he had done later that night. She could have sliced him open like a roll of sushi. But instead, she remained collected and called him out? Fucking audacious commoner! How dare she see through his rouse! He supposed it finally made sense as to how she could read them all so clearly and how she'd ensnared the hearts of all 6 host club members. She was trained to! By a world-class fem fatal assassin apparently! Of course she would know how to make a man tick! That sneaky little vixen! No wonder she seemed so different from everyone else he knew! She was! She was a cold-blooded killer with predator instincts.

Yet as he looked at her tear-streaked face, her eyes wide with anxiety and immeasurable sorrow, he knew that wasn't true. At least not entirely. Just as she had shown him there was more to him than the cold, impassive, aloof, calculating machine he let everyone see, just as he knew Honey was both sweet boy-lolita and deadly martial arts master and that Tamaki was both overexuberant and serious, he knew this was only one more facet of the gem that was Fujioka Haruhi. Thinking back on his experiences with the commoner, he could not deny, even to himself, that he had seen more than a few sides to her personality, as he had with everyone else. She was blunt and painfully honest. She was both sweet and demon. She was cute and sexy, especially in that swimsuit from yesterday. Independent and super clingy during a thunderstorm. She was incredibly intelligent and devious. She was a trained killer and a fiercely loyal friend.

If he really thought about it, would he have believed a commoner who lived on the salary of a bar manager could afford the tuition for Ouran? It would not have made sense unless she obtained the money through nefarious means. Therefore, the scholarship was required. This line of reasoning led him to another thought. She could have paid back her debt from the very beginning. Then again, as with tuition, he would have wondered where she got the money. And he appreciated her tenacity for hard work and honest living. He could make her pay back all the money spent on her portion of Host Club trips and food, but what would be the point? It wasn't as if she ever _wanted_ to go to those places. On the contrary, she always fought them tooth and nail. It was one of the things that made taking her such a delight. If he was being honest with himself, this whole thing just made her even more fascinating to him. He respected her. He appreciated her. He was continuously puzzled by her. He was ensnared in her web and he knew he didn't want to escape. He wanted her. His black widow.

Naturally, he had stiff competition, but that was nothing. He literally grew up in that environment. Tamaki and the twins, he knew now, were no longer rivals. No, his competition came from the stoic senior and her red-haired friend. He didn't know where Mori sat on the spectrum, though after the confession he gave earlier in front of everyone, he guessed his senpai was in pretty deep. Glancing at the two best friends, it was easy to see they both had feelings for each other. Hell, Karma had even confessed to her and to them that he'd wanted to ask her out and it seemed time had not dampened those desires. He found he wasn't jealous seeing her in Karma's arms. This surprised him as he was typically a very possessive person. Perhaps he understood where Karma was coming from. After all, the younger man had known her a lot longer and had been with her through more than he, himself, could ever imagine. Did this mean he had no chance to win the girl? Not exactly, he was a patient man and could play the waiting game very well and prepare for the right time to strike. That was how he earned the ability to buy out Ootori Medical. But he wouldn't tear her away from her friend and closest companion. She wouldn't allow that and he would lose her in the process. It was her decision who she wanted to be with, of course, but that didn't mean he wouldn't manipulate the circumstances to his advantage, should they appear.

It wasn't until he started to feel the searing intensity of her large, brown eyes that he realized just how lost in thought he had been. Bringing himself back to the present, he could feel the waves of apprehension coming off all of his companions. The high-strung, protective energy coming from all three males amused him slightly. Did they think he was going to attack her? That just wouldn't be smart and direct assault wasn't his nature anyway. However, it didn't mean he couldn't mess with them a little. They were his friends, after all.

"You do realize this means you have lied to us from the beginning. That our trust and friendship with you was built upon who we thought you were. I assume you haven't told the twins or Tamaki and weren't planning on telling them. Therefore, you intend to keep up the façade of your friendship with them. You're not the sweet and innocent Haruhi we've come to know and love. You're a cold-blooded killer." He watched as her eyes widened in horror and guilt and started watering again with unshed tears. She put her hand over her mouth and gasped quietly. He was taken aback, not expecting that reaction from his fiery kouhai. Perhaps he went too far.

"No. No that's not true." She couldn't focus. She was riddled with guilt put there by the 2nd year she'd trusted. Her breathing became shallower. Did he really think that? Did Honey and Mori? "I'm….I'm so sorry…I just…e-excuse me." She darted out the door before anyone could stop her. Just before the door closed, they heard a sniffle. Karma bolted from his seat and followed her. Honey and Mori turned toward their kouhai.

"Kyo-chan," started Honey, no longer the cute loli boy he liked to depict, "please tell me you did not mean what you said to Haru-chan."

"Of course not, senpai. I was only teasing her," he responded, still confused as to why she reacted that way. The two of them had developed a friendship based on their witty and comfortable banter. "I fully expected her to bite back like she always does. She just…crumbled." He sat back in his chair at a loss. His senpais shared a look and Honey sighed, exasperatedly, shaking his head.

"You may be a host, Kyo-chan, but you sure don't know much about girls. She doesn't like reliving that night. She and Ritsu-chan broke down completely last night when they tried to tell us and couldn't get through it. She broke down again and Karma-chan had to finish. Then she waited for your reaction for what felt like five minutes to us but probably dragged on for an eternity to her. She was anxious and upset enough already. Then after she shared one of her deepest secrets to you, whom she trusts a lot, your little speech condemned her. It made her feel guilty and ashamed. On top of that, she was still awake when Takashi and I went to sleep. We used her bed. Which means she probably didn't get a lot of sleep last night, if any. With that festival taking up most of today, she's probably exhausted. She's running on fumes, emotional, and stressed. You have some serious apologizing to do. And if you don't, you will regret it. 'Kay?"

"That's right."

"Yes, I suppose I do. And don't worry, I will. If what you say is true, it's a wonder the girl is still standing. Let alone had the energy left to go out to dinner with us. By the way, how do the two of you feel about this…new development? Surely you cannot have so easily accepted it?"

"Well, she only told us last night. Therefore, we've had some time to process everything. Yes, it was a shock, to say the least, but Haru-chan's our friend. So she had a huge secret. We all do. We've all kept something hidden from each other and she's no exception. It didn't help that she was under a gag order from the ministry of defense. Taking all of that into consideration, we felt honoured that she would trust us so much to tell us. She's still the same Haru-chan we know and love. We just know a little more about her now. We're not going to turn our backs on her simply because she shared one of her deepest secrets. We're excited to share her world and we plan to ask her to spar with us when we get back."

"Agreed. I would never turn my back on her and it was certainly not my intention to make her feel guilty in keeping secrets. She is allowed them as much as we are. Her trust won't be misplaced by me." They jumped slightly as the door to their private room opened, only to be disappointed by the entrance of the waitress come to refill their drinks.

"The girl who was in here with us and the red head who followed her out, do you by chance know where they went?" Kyouya inquired.

"Oh her? She caused quite a stir running out of the restaurant crying like that. What, did one of you boys break up with her or something? Honestly you guys could do a lot better than her. Tell you what? I'll leave my number with you and maybe you can give me a call later?" She winked at the three and started to pull out her notebook and pen when Mori stopped her.

"Not necessary."

"Takashi's right. We have to go find Haru-chan." Honey threw down some bills for the check and stood, Mori following and grabbing the phones of his kouhai and her friend.

"Well, here," she said to Kyouya, "maybe you will make use of my offer." She was reaching for her notebook again when the younger man grabbed her wrist and glared at her.

"Not on your life. And may I be the first to say that, due to such subpar manners from the waitress we were served by, we will be leaving a complaint with your manager. You'll be lucky if you still have a job by morning." She gulped, shaking. He smirked, releasing her. "Now if you'll excuse us, we need to go find our friend."

The three host club boys turned heel and walked through the door and out of the restaurant, each hoping that Karma had been able to find and calm their distraught princess and one hoping he had not ruined his chances for good.

Luck was on their side, for as they exited the restaurant, they immediately spotted Haruhi and Karma. The doe-eyed girl looked a little worse for wear, exhaustion and emotional overload were really drawing at her features and she was leaning heavily on him. He had one arm wrapped around her waist, supporting her, and with the other, he gently stroked her hair, relaxing her. Glancing up, she took a shuddering breath and stepped up to the rest of their group, bowing at a perfect 90-degree angle to her 2nd year senpai.

"I'm so sorry for all the trouble I caused you, for the false friendship you now feel we had. I pray you will keep my confidence as a tribute to the companionship we once shared." The boys could see teardrops on the ground where she stood, though her voice never wavered. Nor did she ever see the glowers Mori, Honey, and Karma were all sending Kyouya's way for making her like this. Of course, he did. Hell, he felt them. And it only added to the guilt he was already feeling due to his misplaced teasing.

Her mind was whirring. Having no clue what was going on above her, she could only hope they'd make some excuse for her to the others when she went home tonight, for she had convinced herself that Honey and Mori felt the same way Kyouya did. She didn't expect Kyouya's fingers to gently lift her chin and pull her up. She really didn't expect him to wrap his arms around her in a soft embrace and kiss the top of her head. And she definitely didn't think she'd ever hear the following words being spoken with his deep velvety voice.

"Haruhi," he started, fondly, "honestly, you're as dense as Tamaki sometimes. As smart as you are, one would think you'd be able to tell when a person is only teasing you. Though, I have been made thoroughly aware that teasing you at that particular moment was rather poorly done. I did not mean to make you feel any less than the wonderful friend you have been to us all. I certainly did not intend to reduce you to tears. My dear, you have nothing to feel sorry for. I am honoured that you trusted me enough with this new side of yourself that I am eager to learn more about. "

She pulled back from his arms, shivering slightly as she left the warmth, and gazed up at him with so much hope that it shot straight through the hearts of all four of her companions. Once again, Kyouya received glares from the other three.

"You…you were really just messing with me? You don't think I lied to you or that our friendship was a façade? You're…you're going to let me st-stay?" Karma walked up behind her and playfully smacked the back of her head, not noticing the bristling of the hosts (protective habits).

"See? I told you, you had nothing to worry about. I tried to warn you that you were overreacting but you decided not to listen. Now look at you. All worked up and stressed out for nothing." She shot her elbow into his ribs and scowled at him before turning her attention back to Kyouya while Karma hunched over, coughing.

"You're really not mad?" She asked sheepishly.

He chuckled. "No, I am not. Honestly, if I was going to kick anyone out of the club for something as simple as keeping a secret, it'd be those twin 'brothers' of yours. Their pranks have caused me more problems over the years than I care to count." Honey and Haruhi giggled. "Now that the air is cleared, so to speak, shall we return to the estate?"

He called the limo and in no time, they were seated inside, Haruhi sleeping soundly for a second time that day. It wasn't long before the silence was broken, again, by Karma.

"You know, part of the reason she reacted that way is because she fears that one day, everyone she loves is going to leave her. Her mother left her. Koro-sensei left her. Ranka is often drunk and rarely home. She fears he is going to leave her. She fears you all will too, given the chance and time. Though we mostly communicate with everyone, there are some 3-E friends we've already drifted apart from. All I ask from you guys is, please don't leave her." It was quiet for a long time following his speech. Finally, Kyouya spoke, never taking his eyes off the brunette beauty that had captured them all.

"It's like Mori-senpai said, earlier. She has barreled through every shield we've constructed to protect ourselves. She had wormed her way into each of our hearts and resided there long before we even began to notice. She is the only one who could crush each of us with just one or two words. She holds such power over us and she has no idea. There's no chance we could ever abandon her."

Each man lost himself to thought for the rest of the drive back to the Hitachiin manor. Upon arrival, Karma asked Mori to take Haruhi around to her room while he covered their tracks from the back. The red head could do a lot of things while carrying the girl, but taking her up to her second story balcony from the outside was not one of them. Once they all returned to her bedroom and while listening to the idiot trio losing it downstairs, Kyouya folded down the blankets and Mori gently laid her in bed. Upon attempting to stand up, they noticed she had gripped his shirt tightly and did not seem to want to let go.

"Looks like Haru-chan wants some company tonight." Honey said, trying hard to stifle his laughter at Mori's surprised and almost panicked face.

"Yeah, Haru may seem all fierce and independent but when she's sleeping deeply, she turns into such a softy. I've still got pics of her snuggling with some of the girls when we went to Kyoto." Karma replied, snickering faintly. He loved this rarely seen side of Haruhi and was immensely enjoying the fact that it was obviously the hosts' first time seeing it. "Gotta say, Morinozuka, you're a lucky man. I'd love to be in your shoes but she'll wake up if you try to detach yourself. You're stuck."

Mori blushed heavily and resigned himself to his fate. It wasn't that he didn't _want_ to be in his position. On the contrary, he'd thought about it quite a few times since he'd met the girl. He just didn't want all of his friends knowing he was sleeping with her. He didn't want her to feel awkward when she woke up with him next to her. He realized just what Karma meant when he'd said she liked snuggling, for as soon as he'd kicked off his shoes and laid down next to her, on top of her covers, she wiggled her lithe body as close to him as she could and tucked her head into the crook of his neck, resting one of her hands on his chest and slipping the other tiny hand into his, causing his blush to deepen. He hoped his friends would leave then but no such luck.

"Awwww, Haru-chan is so cute when she's sleeping! And Takashi looks pretty comfortable too, wouldn't you say, Kyo-chan?" Honey said as he whipped out his phone. There was no way he was going to miss a photo op like this.

"I'd have to agree, Honey-senpai." As loath as he was to see his Haruhi snuggled sweetly against the tall senior, he had to admit, it was adorable that she behaved that way when asleep. He mirrored his blonde senpai's actions. These pictures would bring in a hefty amount from the website.

"Sleep well, you two." Karma winked after getting pics of his own. The three photographers finally moved on and left, turning off the light and closing the door behind them. Mori breathed a sigh of relief that their teasing was over for now and looked down at the sleeping girl. Listening hard, he could hear the precise moment Tamaki and the twins were told where he was followed by three consecutive and satisfying thuds, signifying he and, more importantly, Haruhi, would be guaranteed peace for the night.


	14. A Night with the Hostess

A Night with the Hostess

Alright, so Haruhi would be sleeping. Mori simply could not relax himself enough to reach that point. Every time she would nuzzle into his neck, his breathing hitched. When her lips parted and he could feel her warm breath, he nearly stopped altogether. At some point, she brought her knee up to rest on top of his hip and stretched her arm so that it lay across his chest and he thought he was going to lose it. So he laid awake, just watching her, knowing he may never get another chance like this again. He had seen the blushes and gazes she gave her E-class friend. Watching them interact with each other, listening to how well Karma knows her, he had to admit he liked the red-haired boy for her. Above his own desires, he wanted her to be happy and knew her friend would make her so. He would be happy being the friend she leaned on, the one she came to for advice or just needing someone to listen.

He smiled as he watched her scrunch her nose and furrow her eyebrows. Using his thumb to gently smooth out the tiny creases, he was rewarded with a soft sigh before her lips closed and turned downward. 'What is she dreaming about?' He wondered. Then again, with everything she'd been through before and the last two days, there was little chance her dreams were pleasant. He wished he could make them so, wished he could take her pain away and replace it with the peace she deserved.

He thought back to some of the things Karma had said. How her father was often drunk and rarely home. That worried him. Yes, he knew she could take care of herself if need be, but she shouldn't need to. She shouldn't have to be so alone. Was her father an abusive drunk? Did she have to fend him off until he sobered? True, he had never seen any defensive marks on her, or bruising at her wrists. Hopefully he was just as overly affectionate and doting as he was the few times he had met the feminine man.

He watched her curl her knees to her chest and hold herself in a little ball, hands tightly fisted. Granted that action finally released most of him from her grip and he could easily extract his arm from under her head, but he found he didn't want to. He didn't want to leave her sleeping so fitfully. He sighed heavily and sat up, careful not to disturb his gentle, yet fiery friend. Lifting her into his lap so that she was cradled against him with his chin resting on her head, he started to rub her back, hoping to relax her. There was a soft knock at the door before it opened and the very red-head whose voice had been flowing through his mind poked in.

"Oh, Morinozuka, I didn't realize you were still up." He whispered. "I just came in to check on Haru before I left for the night. Haven't exactly been given permission to stay." He saw his favorite girl curled against the tall senior, her hands balled into fists, brow furrowed and eyes shut tight. "She must be dreaming about either the night on the mountain or the night her mom died again." He sighed, stroking her cheek.

"Do you have a place to sleep?" came Mori's deep timbre.

"Nah, I was just going to camp outside so I can talk to her tomorrow. We still need to decide if we are going to accept the new mission. I know she told you about that."

"Nothing important." He patted the spot of bed on the other side of the girl he held close. "Stay."

"You're the one she clung to, Morinozuka. Besides, like I said, the Hitachiins haven't given me permission to sleep in their estate. It'd be rude." Mori shook his head.

"She will be happier with you. Stay. I will handle the twins." Gods he was getting tired. And he knew how flirty he got when he became so. His offer to the boy was two-fold. On the one hand, he did want for her happiness and knew it was with him but the boy standing beside him. On the other, he didn't know how well he could trust himself if he stayed awake all night when she opened her wide, bleary eyes. He was not sure if the entire Morinozuka Code of Honour would be enough to prevent him from kissing her senseless if she woke up even remotely as cute as she had earlier that evening. He liked to think he would restrain himself but could not leave anything to chance. He did not want to take from her what was not freely given. If that meant relinquishing her to the man she preferred, he would do so time and again. He patted the bed beside the girl once more.

Karma shrugged at the turn of events and proceeded to remove his black jacket and white button-up, leaving his undershirt, and folded them onto a nearby chair. He took off his shoes and belt and placed them neatly by his clothes and climbed into bed, slipping under the blankets. Mori raised an eyebrow at him and he stared steadily back.

"Calm down, Morinozuka. I'm not going to do anything with her. I get cold easily." He was a little annoyed by the taller man's train of thought but he understood it. Mori nodded and carefully laid the balled-up girl on the bed. She immediately went for her friend's awaiting arms, even unfurling herself so she could sleep against him. Her sleeping form relaxed at Karma's very touch. She sighed contentedly, her face smoothing out into a gentle smile.

Mori found, as he deposited their phones on the dresser and left the two, he couldn't even try to feel upset or hurt. He only felt peace stemming from the fact that the girl he loved was happy. Her slumbering reaction to her friend was proof enough of that. She would be well taken care of and that's what mattered most. He smiled and prepared to sleep deeply for the remainder of the night.

Back in Haruhi's room, Karma laid against his friend, shocked but pleased by the motions her sleeping body had taken. She came right up to him like that was where she had wanted to be all along. He gazed fondly at her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her as close as he could, her arms tucked between them, hands open and resting on his chest.

He thought about the assignment they were being asked to undertake. He could already see a plan forming itself that would get the job done without his Haru going anywhere near the Ootori patriarch. He doubted she would go along with the idea and she would likely do things her own way but he could dream. Just the thought of her being in the same room as that man was enough to enrage him. And to think she had stood up to him a week ago at the fair, knowing none of what he truly was! She could have been…no, she's too talented to be killed that easily. He would not underestimate her skills. Karma, and all the E-class boys learned that lesson the hard way last year. He buried his face in her hair to stifle the laugh that threatened to escape, remembering when she, Nakamura, Okuda, and Ritsu all teamed up to show the boys and Koro-sensei what it meant to respect women. Granted, they really only targeted the octopus, trying to cure his 'peeping tom' habits, but it was a lesson everyone took to heart.

But could she really handle this job and what it might entail? They had to be prepared for every contingency and that included what would happen if something went wrong and she became trapped. He hoped their talk the next day would help calm some of his fears. One of them being the all-knowing Shadow King son of their target. Having met his youngest son, he had no doubt the youngest Ootori was the reason for the upset that left the business tycoon vulnerable. He hoped the son would be nothing like his father when it was his turn to run the zaibatsu and believed the son to be a fair man, fully capable but not so cruel. Would they be able to succeed without him knowing? Or would Ootori suspect them as soon as his father was found dead?

How would they plan or prepare anyway? They never spent time together as it was. He couldn't slack off or Asuno would surpass him. She couldn't ditch because of that stupid scholarship thing. If he tried to transfer, he'd have to go on scholarship too and they couldn't _both_ be top of the class. Perhaps Karasama could work something out with the Chairman for a temporary transfer that wouldn't mess with her schooling. He was able to pull a lot off with the former principle, so why not? It was something to look into. He would get the chance to see his Haru more and his grades would be sent back to Kanukigaoka. Ouran was definitely more prestigious, so whatever he earned there would keep him at the top back home. It was a win-win-win as far as he was concerned. Maybe Mr. K could even work something out so that Nagisa could go to Ouran with them as a temporary transfer.

"Karma," she mumbled, nuzzling into the crook of his neck. The boy's golden eyes widened greatly as he gasped. His pulse quickened as her lips parted, barely grazing his skin and he tightened his hold on the girl who had for so long captured his affections. He smiled and kissed her head as he held her close and drifted off to sleep, hopeful for the first time, that maybe she wasn't as out of reach as he had thought. Just maybe, her waking mind felt the things her sleeping mind hinted at. Perhaps they might soon have the time they needed in order to start the relationship he'd wanted to begin for so long. He dreamed that night of what it could be like to date the girl in his arms, to kiss her. Not once for the rest of the night did she scrunch her face, fighting off the hidden terrors of her mind. Instead, she dreamed of pleasant afternoon walks, hand-in-hand with a golden-eyed companion.


	15. The Morning After

The Morning After

As Haruhi was slowly pulled from sleep, the first thing her drowsy mind noted was just how warm and comfortable she was. She snuggled deeper into her pillow, breathing in the subtle spicy cologne that stuck to...wait what? She shifted her head and squinted her bleary eyes enough to see a mop of bright red that lay sprawled on the white case. A pair of arms tightened around her waist when she tried to prop herself up to see what was going on. Suddenly a forgotten memory clouded her vision and she groaned recalling the teasing she had gotten from her old friends after her night in Kyoto when she had cuddled up with one or two of them while she slept. Apparently it had happened again. And judging by the hair, she had snuggled the one person who would tease her most relentlessly. She shrugged internally. 'Ah well,' she thought, 'I can always kick his ass later if it gets annoying.'

Meanwhile, Haruhi decided she would just enjoy this moment with the boy she'd been thinking of as more than her best friend, truly believing she'd never get an opportunity like this again. She slowly opened her eyes, gazing at his peaceful face, and smiled. She loved that face and it was rare she got to see it. Only when he was alone (or thought he was) would he let his guard down and relax like this. And she had never caught him sleeping before. It was nice. She couldn't resist when her fingers wanted to trace the contours of his cheeks, his jaw, his...she withdrew her hand quickly when she realized where it was going, where her thoughts were going. It was then she realized the state of their dress. Well, he was fully covered but sometime through the night, the dress she still wore from the previous day had hiked up to her hips, leaving her legs completely exposed. She blushed madly and tried to shimmy it back down without Karma waking up but her arms were trapped to just their upper bodies so she could only wiggle her legs and hips, hoping it would be enough. Her blush deepened dramatically when her knee accidentally caught on to the fact that Karma was having a _very_ good dream and when he gave a low moan, Haruhi's breathing hitched.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN HERE?!" Tamaki bellowed as he threw open her bedroom door, scaring Haruhi out of her wits. The shout and slamming door jolted Karma awake and he immediately went into defensive mode, throwing himself over Haruhi and putting her behind him to protect her from whatever threat just appeared. In the doorway stood a fuming Tamaki, a raging Hikaru, and an infuriated Kaoru. Footsteps echoed through the hall as a panicked Mori and Honey arrived, ready to fight.

"YOU! GET AWAY FROM HER!" the younger blonde roared.

"GET THE HELL OUT OF OUR HOUSE!" thundered Hikaru.

"That's right. We said you could stay for dinner. We didn't agree to anything else. And here we came up to make sure Mori-senpai didn't touch her." growled Kaoru.

"Whoa what is going on?!" Honey shouted, trying to get their attention. He took careful note of the terrified look and flushed cheeks on Haruhi's face, the protective stance over her provided by Karma, and tried to piece everything together after being woken up so roughly. Like why it was Karma in her bed when he remembered Takashi being there last night when he left the room. Kyouya joined the doorway troupe, looking more disheveled than any had ever seen him.

"I'd like to know that as well. And there had better be a damned good reason for all this yelling this early in the morning or so help me you will all regret it."

"ASK _HIM_!" Tamaki hollered, pointing at Karma who narrowed his eyes at the tall blonde, not relinquishing his protective position over the brunette who was still trying to collect herself.

"Ask me what, Souh?" he seethed. Karma did not appreciate being woken up that way and he was in no mood to play nice.

"Oh don't play innocent! We _heard_ you in here having sex with our toy!"

"What the hell are you talking about, Hitachiin?! We were asleep! _Were,_ until you three barged in here unannounced and certainly uninvited!"

"Can everybody just calm down and explain exactly _what_ is going on?! Takashi, why aren't you in bed with Haru-chan? Tama-chan, Hika-chan, Kao-chan, why do you think Karma-chan was having sex with her when they are both obviously fully dressed?" Leave it to the oldest one in the room to ask the right questions and get the full story.

All three of them started speaking, well, yelling, at once. One could see the frustration building on not just Honey, but also Karma, Kyouya, and Haruhi who was just starting to catch up with the current events. Three demon auras were permeating the room and the owners were about to break when Mori clapped his hands together only once. But it was enough to stun the three loudmouths into silence. Karma and Haruhi gasped and shared a look, recognizing the move as eerily similar to a certain bluenette they knew.

" _One at a time!_ " growled Honey. Kaoru started.

"We knew Mori-senpai was sleeping with Haruhi last night because she likes to snuggle when she's asleep and I guess she picked him to snuggle with. And thanks to the knock-outs you so eagerly bestowed, Honey-senpai, we couldn't check on her. So first thing thing we did when we woke up was to make sure Haruhi was safe."

"I knew that wild monster wouldn't be able to keep his hands off my precious daughter! I made sure to be at her door as soon as I could so that I might protect her virtue, as only a loving father can!" Tamaki exclaimed. Mori glowered at the boy. How dare his kouhai think so little of him!

" _Tamaki_ ," snarled Kyouya, "I highly suggest you shut up, _now_ , or I won't be held responsible for your injuries. Hikaru, continue."

"Right, so we all meet at the door to Haruhi's room to make sure Mori-senpai didn't force himself on her when what should we hear but the shuffling of the bed covers followed by a low, husky moan! I don't know how he got dressed but I know he was violating our Haruhi!"

The girl in question hid her bright red face in the shirt of her defender, trying to control it, though her eyes poked over his shoulder, staring intently at her tall senpai who was openly glaring, and rightfully so, at the twins and president. When the kendo master turned an apologetic glance to her, it clicked. She crawled out from behind her best friend and walked steadily toward the group, Karma only a step behind and ready to push her out of harms way should the need arise. Haruhi stopped in front of the silent type and looked him in the eye.

"You got tired, didn't you, Mori-senpai? You left to protect me from yourself." She smiled gently as his eyes widened.

"What do you mean, Haruhi?" asked Kyouya. He was still quite groggy and more than a little pissed off that he was woken up for what seemed to be nothing.

"If what Kaoru said was true and I cuddled up with Mori-senpai last night, and Honey-senpai knows this but not why he was here this morning, the only thing to conclude is that Mori-senpai left sometime between Honey-senpai being alerted and this morning." She smiled at him again. "Considering Mori-senpai's uncharacteristic nature when he's sleepy, my guess is he didn't want to put me in an awkward situation. Am I right, senpai?" He let out a soft laugh and ruffled her hair in the affirmative. Of course he couldn't hide anything from her. She knew all of them too damn well.

She turned to Karma. "When did he become you, though?"

"I came back up after Honinozuka knocked out your friends. I wanted to check on you before I left but Morinozuka asked me to stay with you. Then he left. What do you mean 'uncharacteristic nature'?" Haruhi and Honey giggled.

"Takashi gets flirty when he's sleepy and doesn't remember it later." Mori's cheeks flushed a light pink, causing more giggles to erupt from the two. Haruhi stood on her toes, beckoning him down. When he reached eye level, she kissed his cheek and thanked him, causing his cheeks to deepen in colour. This started sputtering from Tamaki and Hikaru.

"Haruhi, get away from him! You can't go around planting your virgin lips on boys like that!"

"Tono's right, Haruhi. I mean first you have sex with this random guy here then you turn around and kiss another man? Right in front of us? You'd better be careful or you're going to get a reputation." She snapped. Suddenly standing before them was not the cute Hostess of the Host Club but the deadly figure of a trained assassin, even if not all the group was aware of that.

Rushing the two idiots, she grabbed both their arms, twisting them behind their backs and tripping them in the same motion. In seconds, she had them both pinned to the floor with one knee in each back, still holding their arms painfully. Haruhi was on a warpath.

"Let's get a few things straight right now," she fumed, "number one, I told you yesterday that if you did not respect my friend, there would be consequences." She added pressure to their strained shoulders causing them to hiss sharply in response. "I have _never_ not kept my word. Number two, you have _no_ right to enter my room without my permission, I don't care _whose_ house it is. If you two and Kaoru don't like that, I _will_ leave. Number three, it is none of your business if I've fucked the brains out of every man in this room while wearing nothing but leather straps! Who I hang out with, who I kiss, who I love, that is _my_ business and mine alone! For the record, I was _not_ having sex with Karma, not that I have to explain anything to you." She pressed her knees more firmly into their backs making them groan in pain. "Number four, do not _ever_ make the mistake of insulting my senpai in front of me again. How _dare_ you think so low of him?! He _never_ goes so far as to hug me without my permission! Let alone touch me like that! I can't believe you would even _think_ he could do something so vile! But I'll make certain you never think it again. Are. We. Clear?" Her two victims nodded vigorously and she looked back to her third target, whom she had been unable to grab, only to see him nodding as well.

"Good," she sneered, "now when I let you two up, you _will_ apologize to both Mori-senpai AND Karma for disrespecting them and you'll apologize to Honey-senpai and Kyouya-senpai for waking them up early. Won't you?" She made it obvious that it was not an option and was gratified when she heard three muffled 'mhmm's' in three shaky voices. With one final shove on the arms she held, she relinquished her friends, who, she was pleased to see, all prostrated themselves in front of the group.

"We're so sorry we doubted you, Mori-senpai!" cried Tamaki.

"We're sorry we woke everyone up! We promise we'll never do it again!" Hikaru whimpered.

"Karma can stay here! We'll be good! Forgive us!" sniveled Kaoru.

 **"Please don't send us back to her again!"** they howled together. But the rest of the room's occupant's were openly gaping at the petite female who suddenly commanded such a presence. She stood to her fullest height, hands on her hips, proud and strong, looking down on the three in front of her.

"Damn, Haru," breathed Karma, "that was both sexy and scary." The three sniffling fools nodded their heads as they looked at her too.

"He's right, Haru-chan." said Honey as he adjusted the front of his pajamas, "If you're going to be that blunt about it, I will be too. I don't know if I should be turned on or terrified." Whether he thought of her as sister or not, he was still a man and damn it all if that show of force from her didn't effect him.

"Hot." Mori grunted. He couldn't do or say anything else. His mind was stuck on the idea of her in black straps while she teased above him. The girl was unintentionally going to drive him mad! That image was making him seriously question his decision to give her up so easily.

"I have to agree, Haruhi," came Kyouya's voice in a deeply husky manner. Like Mori, the image of the brunette in black leather straps while she commanded him was burned into his mind. She would be the only one he would willingly and gladly submit to. She could make him do anything she wanted and he would eagerly comply. Damn it! When did she become so desirable to him?! "That was the most _enticing_ thing I've ever witnessed. Who else needs a cold shower after that?" The others raised their hands, Tamaki and the twins somewhat back to normal.

"W-well...I-I-I...I thought that t-they should..." she deadpanned, cheeks aflame as a particular phrase ran back through her head. "I'm going to go take a shower." And just like that, the adorable Haruhi was back. Laughter followed her all the way into her bathroom and she could still hear it after she'd shut the door. She huffed and set up to enjoy her Haruhi-time.

One indecently long, hot shower later and the brunette sighed in exasperation. She hadn't brought any clothes with her. But at least she wasn't pissed off anymore. Not that she planned on apologizing to them. She wrapped herself in a towel, stomped out of the bathroom, not paying much attention to her surroundings, and started grabbing her clothes all the while grumbling about the 'audacity' of 'self-entitled rich bastards'. A stifled snicker broke through her thoughts and she froze, clenching her fist around her towel. The snickering became louder as she felt her whole body flush. One could almost see the remaining water droplets evaporate from her skin. She slowly turned her head.

All seven of them were lounging around her bedroom. All currently either sporting a blush and/or nosebleed or trying not to laugh at her. Honey and the twins were on her bed snickering at her while all three displaying brilliant blushes. Mori was standing by the window, trying to look anywhere _except_ her, cheeks a lovely shade of bright pink. Tamaki lay fainted on the floor, blood practically spewing from his nostrils. Kyouya, on the other hand, was staring at her appreciatively with a smirk in place and a light chuckle coming from his throat. And Karma? He was sitting in the chair that held his clothes earlier, struggling most not to laugh outright. The second her wide, panicked eyes caught his, he lost it. With a snort, he doubled over, cackling. She growled at him, which caused the twins to lose control.

Honey had enough containment to say "Haru-chan's getting so bold, isn't she?" before he started belly-laughing. That statement made the twins and Karma howl with laughter and Haruhi's face to turn cherry red in colour.

"W-what the hell are you still doing here?" Her stutter vastly outweighing any attempt at bravado. Kyouya started towards her, transfixing her in his gaze like prey to a predator.

"Why, waiting for you of course. They all wanted to go down to breakfast _together_." There was no reason for him draw out that last word but the little squeak and the way she jumped away from him, clutching her towel for dear life and holding her clothes close to her body certainly gave him one. He snickered again, glancing at the ensemble in her hands, specifically the matching bra and underwear that she hadn't really hid well.

"Purple lace, Haruhi?" He smirked as her whole face lit up even brighter. "An interesting choice, perhaps, with me in mind? That is my rose colour after all. Are you, maybe, harboring a secret crush?"

She flew back into the bathroom and before the door had shut all the way, the seven young men in her room heard her shout, "Damn it, dad!" None of the boys could keep themselves together after that. Her room echoed with their roaring, full-bellied laughter! Even Mori's low rumble could be heard.

Minutes later, she reappeared, wearing a pair of black shorts that showed off her long legs and a simple fitted red tee shirt. "Come on, you idiots. Let's go get food. Then I want to spar with you, Karma." Their laughter and high fives could be heard all the way down to the dining room where they all enjoyed a nice breakfast together that was filled with good natured teasing of each other. No one was exempt from the jesting. Though they all granted Kyouya full marks for flustering Haruhi not once, but twice that morning. They all finished out the early hours in high spirits before hitting the beach to watch Haruhi fight.


	16. Haruhi Vs Karma!

*A/N: Sorry for the delayed update. I haven't had internet in the last month so I've been bumming off my mobile hotspot which isn't very efficient. I've also started a new job that keeps me working late so I'm adjusting to that as well. But I haven't been idle in regards to this story. From now on, I'm going to post a chapter per week while writing instead of posting multiple chapters all at once so that if something does come up, you guys won't have to wait so long again. So check back next Thursday for the latest chapter. As always, reviews are greatly appreciated.

* * *

As the hosts settled themselves on the sand out of the way, the two fighters faced off, each waiting for the other to make the first move. The tension was unmistakable and increasing with every moment, the only sounds to be heard were the waves crashing onto the beach and the distant calls of birds. At once, both friends lunged for each other, ignoring the sharp intakes of breath from their observers, and clashed in a barrage of jabs, kicks, punches, blocks, jumps, dodges, back-flips, footwork and blows even Honey and Mori had never seen before. One after another from both sides, neither giving in, but both bearing huge, toothy grins. As violent as this was, they were having the time of their lives sparring again. Separating, Karma brought his hands up to protect his face, slightly hunched to easily protect his torso, and started shifting his weight from one foot to the other, almost bouncing as Haruhi spit out a bit of blood that was pooling in her mouth from a punch to her jaw and wiped her already sweating brow.

"What's the matter, Haru?" He taunted, laughing, "I mean besides being out of practice of course."

Haruhi narrowed her eyes at him, searching for an opening, her position marked by her seemingly frozen stance. She lunged, dropping to the ground and sliding straight for his legs. He jumped to the side but she'd predicted that. She stuck one foot out as she slid past him, managing to finally trip him. He landed with a heavy "oof" but turned onto his back before she landed her subsequent pounce. Using his feet and her momentum, he caught her stomach and launched her soaring until she landed about six feet away. Hopping to his feet, he turned quickly to see her slowly getting up as well.

She turned and ran toward the cliff, her laughter trailing behind. "Can't catch me," she yelled behind her in a sing-song voice, knowing he was not far behind. Once she was face to face with the rock, she turned to see him barreling towards her, the hosts on his tail, not wanting to miss a thing. She waited for just a moment before she pivoted out of the way. Karma couldn't stop. Too much momentum and not enough room sent him propelling straight into the sharp cliffside. A wince ran through the six boys on the sidelines as a few of them hissed, trying not to imagine how much that hurt. Haruhi giggled.

"Who's out of practice now? That was beginners level!" She retorted.

Grunting, Karma stepped back, wiping at the bloody scrapes on his face. "Oh, it is _on."_

She giggled again as she started climbing the jagged cliff. The hosts couldn't believe it! She was reaching, one arm above the other, scaling the serrated wall like a spider! And Karma was right behind her! They cried out warnings when Karma grabbed her ankle but she quickly shook him off and kicked his face in retaliation. He switched tactics. His face really could not afford to take another hit like that. So he sped up until he was climbing beside her. An unsuspecting jab to her lower ribs did the trick as she lost her grip and started to fall. Bending her knees, she pushed off from the rough surface so that her descent into the ocean below was at least controlled. With a graceful dive set to a panicked chorus of "HARUHI", she held her breath and plunged into the frigid water, thanking the Gods she was only about halfway up and _not_ wearing baggy clothes. Before sinking too far down, she launched herself back to the surface and swam to shore.

Just as she arrived back on the beach, surrounded by worried hosts, Karma had climbed down. Shoving Hikaru and Kaoru out of her way, she lunged for her friend again. Not expecting the sudden attack, she managed to wrap her arm around his neck and throw him face first into the sand and pounce on his back, locking his arms between her calves. As he flopped his feet, trying to buck her off, she grabbed his hair, yanked his head back, and pressed the blade of the knife she had in the rolled cuff of her shorts against his throat.

"Say it."

"Alright," Karma announced, "you win." She smirked, releasing him. He clamored to his feet as she returned her knife to its place and sent her a wink. "This time." She stuck her tongue out at him childishly as the hosts surrounded them and Tamaki snatched Haruhi into a backbreaking hug.

"HARUHI! Oh my precious baby girl, I was so worried about you! How could you do something like that?! Young ladies should never fight! Especially with a boy! That was dangerous! You could have been hurt! Or killed! Or worse! MAMAAA-" The second year fell silent as he hit the ground, unconscious. Everyone looked at Haruhi, who was busy gulping down breaths of air as quickly as she could but she shook her head. Turns out, it was Mori who knocked the blonde out cold. He simply shrugged in response to their questioning glances.

"Wow, Haru-chan, Karma-chan, that was amazing!" Honey exclaimed, filled with awe and, true, a little fear. He suddenly wasn't so eager to spar with the short brunette as he had been the previous night. He loved his friend and was impressed with her skills but he now knew what Ritsu meant when she said class E was powerful. He wasn't so sure he would come out on top.

"Yeah." Came the monotone reply from his stoic cousin. Truthfully, he knew he already respected and admired her but seeing her in action, seeing the sheer pleasure on her face as she dodged an attack and threw one of her own, she was incredible! He again questioned his resolve to give up pursuing her so easily. But his decision was quickly solidified when he saw the two grin towards each other.

"These will make some decent profits on the site," remarked Kyouya, putting his camera back into his pocket. Haruhi simply rolled her eyes.

"Are you kidding?! He threw Haruhi off the side of a cliff! I'll kill him!" Hikaru seethed. His brother planted a calming hand on his shoulder before either combatant had a chance to react.

"Honestly, Hikaru. Do you really think you could after seeing that? Besides, it clearly didn't seem to phase Haruhi any. That does beg the question though, how did you end up getting thrown off the cliff the last time we were at a beach when you can fight like that?" He asked, turning his gaze on her.

"Wait, you were thrown off a cliff?! How?!" Karma sputtered, incredulous. This was news to him. How could the top female fighter of their class be thrown off a cliff? Who could possibly be skilled enough to get the drop on _her_? She looked annoyed and grumbled something about 'being picked up'.

"What was that? I didn't quite catch," Kaoru spurred, grinning.

"Look, I'm short, okay? And light. The guy picked me up before throwing me off last time. I couldn't get the leverage I needed to get out of his grip. It happens whenever Tamaki-senpai 'hugs' me too." She shuddered, the soft breeze cutting through her soaked clothes. The boy in question started to stir beside them before bouncing up and grabbing her again.

"Doesn't anybody want to know where my precious daughter learned to fight like that?! How can you all just stand there when she keeps putting herself in danger?! Haruhi, I thought we'd covered this! I thought you weren't going to be reckless anymore! MAMA! Talk some sense into her! She listens to you!" He yelped as she pinched his hand to get him off.

"Tamaki, is it not clear she is in no real danger? While she did take more than a few hits and was shoved off a cliff _again_ she is obviously skilled enough to cope. Though you did bring up a good point. Haruhi, where exactly did you learn to do that?" Kyouya smirked, interested to see just how she would cover herself.

"W-well, our gym t-t-teacher sp-p-pent m-most of our th-third year going ov-v-v-er b-basic self-f-f-f-f d-d-d-defense," she managed to get out through clattering teeth.

"Let's get you inside, Haru-chan." Honey said, chuckling lightly. Basic self defense indeed. He started pulling her back to the estate. "We don't want you to get sick. Besides, you and Karma-chan both have more than a few injuries that need tending to."

It was true, the two friends had done quite a number on each other. Haruhi's jaw was sporting a blossoming bruise and she could still taste some blood, her abdomen was throbbing from being launched by Karma's feet, her shoulder was aching from taking most of that landing. Her hands and bare feet had been scraped by the rough cliff. Her best friend fared no better. His nose was swollen and spouting two small lines of dried blood with a dark bruise blooming under both eyes from when she kicked at him. His face was scratched and sporting small bruises from running into to the cliff. There was a thin red line on his throat where she had pressed her knife just a little too hard. It didn't break skin but she felt bad all the same. He noticed her frowning at it, tapped his throat twice (their old hand signal for hit but uninjured) and smiled reassuringly to let her know that, at least, didn't hurt. Her face softened a little in return as a shiver cut through her body again. His brow furrowed with concern but she just gave a small shrug and turned back to her short senpai.

"Yeah, I g-g-guess you're r-right, Honey-s-s-s-senpai." Haruhi walked on ahead, not knowing the others had caught the silent exchange between the two fighters, with different reactions.

Hikaru's hands were balled into shaking fists as he struggled with his frustration at how well the two could read each other. Kaoru just looked on in sad resignation. He knew both he and his brother loved her as much as he knew he would stop his brother from interfering with anything that made her happy. That included Karma. So he worked on silently calming him down as best he knew how. Honey was torn between joy for Haruhi, whom he thought of as his younger sister, and worry for Mori, whom he knew also loved the girl. However, the tall senior was quite peaceful. He genuinely thought the mute conversation between the two and the way they seemed to signal each other fascinating and endearing. It strengthened his resolve to nudge them together when he could and warmed his heart knowing she would be with someone who would care for her and encourage her the way the young man did. Kyouya was quite irritated with the whole display, though most would not be able to tell. He wanted Haruhi and had been blatantly obvious about his intentions, yet it would seem to no avail. Poor Tamaki was just confused though. All they did was look at each other, right? Did he miss something? Why were all his friends uncharacteristically expressive?

Karma simply ignored the varied glances from the hosts and hurried to catch up. He needed to talk to Haruhi about the mission and he needed to do it without the interference of the others. But this spurred the rest into action and they all ended up entering the estate together.

"Hikaru, Kaoru, why don't you show Karma to his room so that he may freshen up and take care of his injuries. I'll escort Haruhi to hers and check her jaw for fractures or dislocation before tending to his nose." Kyouya suggested, impassionately.

"D-d-d-don't worry ab-b-bout it s-s-senpai, my j-jaw's fine. If it was f-f-fractured-d-d, I w-would-d-dn't b-b-be ab-b-ble t-t-o t-t-t-talk." Haruhi replied before taking off for her bedroom. She frigid and desperately just wanted out of her wet clothes. Locking the door behind her, she quickly stripped and made a beeline for the bathroom. A hot shower was exactly what she needed. Ten minutes under the scalding water and she finally felt warm again. Stepping out and wrapping a towel around her, she faced the mirror...and groaned.

' _Dad is not going to like this,_ ' she thought to herself, gently tracing the brilliant purple bruise that covered the right half of her jawline. Granted, the swelling had gone down, but the discoloration was only just beginning. This would take at least a couple of weeks to heal. Slowly, she opened her towel, bracing herself for what she might find. Nothing. No bruise from Karma pole-vaulting her at least. She breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Testing her shoulder a bit. The ache had dwindled but the muscle was still strained. Leaving the bathroom, she donned her favorite sweatpants and a large tee shirt. Having taken an unexpected dip in the ocean, she wasn't feeling up to much else besides relaxing with her friends, even if it was early in the afternoon.


	17. Making Plans

Sorry for being a couple of days behind on the update. Working retail during Thanksgiving has me more than a bit frazzled.

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Making Plans

Padding down the stairs and venturing into the dining room for some lunch, Haruhi stumbled into what seemed to be a normal scene. Honey was talking animatedly to Karma with Mori sitting close by the two on one side of the table. Hikaru and Kaoru were huddled over a sketch pad, talking quietly to each other. Kyouya was working on his computer while Tamaki babbled on about something or other.

But she knew how to look beyond the surface. Karma's nose had been cleaned up and bandaged, that seemed alright. However Honey seemed a little _too_ animated. His hand gestures were a little more wild than normal. Hikaru and Kaoru didn't have a single pencil in sight and their sketchpad remained untouched the longer she watched. In fact, they weren't even looking at it. Kyouya was typing a little too hard to appear natural and relaxed. His jaw was tense and his shoulders were set. Even Tamaki's pitch was slightly higher than normal. Something had happened and it was clear she wouldn't get any answers if she asked outright. So she decided to coax it out of them.

Sauntering up to Karma, she put a concerned mask over her suspicious face and leaned over, inspecting his bandage. "Did I really kick you that hard? I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to."

Unsettled by her sudden appearance and closeness but unwilling to divulge the incident, he smiled up at her, pretending not to feel the uncomfortable shifting around them. "Don't worry about it, Haru. We both know I've taken harder hits than that. Ootori was just being overly cautious and wrapped it up anyway. He's a credit to his field." Alright, well, he wouldn't divulge the whole truth but he knew his Haru. Telling her a half-truth was the best way to keep her from getting suspicious. Though he had to struggle not to squirm under the intense scrutiny she continued to give him for a few moments before appearing to let it rest. Mentally, he sighed in relief.

Turning to Kyouya, she flashed him her best smile with her widest eyes. "Thank you for taking care of him, senpai. I really appreciate it." She still felt a bit suspicious, especially when Kyouya took in a sharp breath before responding, but she decided to let it go.

"No problem. After all, if I had left a wound like that untreated, what kind of future physician would I be? I still want to inspect your jaw for fractures. That bruise you're sporting looks pretty bad." He was, begrudgingly, grateful to the red-head for complimenting him, causing her to stun him with that breathtaking smile of hers.

She sighed. "I told you, senpai. It's fine. Doesn't even hurt. Karma's right, we've taken harder hits than that. So," she addressed the rest of the group, who had all been listening intently since the moment she walked into the room, "what are you guys going to do for the afternoon?"

"I'm so glad you asked, dear one. Daddy thought we would all go bowling! I saw the cutest alley on the way back from the carnival yesterday and I just knew it would be the perfect way to spend some quality family time together."

"You know boss," Hikaru started.

"That actually sounds like fun for once." Kaoru continued.

"Count us in!" They finished. Haruhi swore she saw stars in Tamaki's eyes. She chuckled inwardly. As irritating beyond belief as these boys could be, they were her boys and she couldn't imagine her life without them anymore.

"Yay! Bowling sounds great! Doesn't it, Takashi?" Honey asked from atop his tall cousin's shoulders. ' _Wait, when did he get up there_?' she wondered.

"Un."

"Sure, I'm game." Karma seemed cool and cocky, but she knew him about as well as anyone could. He was staring daggers and his chin was tucked almost to his collarbone. It would be game on by the first frame.

"I suppose if everyone else is going, I might as well." Kyouya all but rolled his eyes as he saved his work and closed his laptop while Tamaki was hopping from one leg to the other in his excitement. For once, everyone seemed to be on board with his idea!

"Well, I hope you guys have fun. I think I'll pass on this trip and take a nap instead. Thanks to _someone_ throwing me into the ocean," she glared playfully at Karma who put on his most unconvincing innocent mask and causing snickers from Kaoru and Honey, "I'm actually pretty tired right now." Tamaki looked like she had kicked his beloved Antoinette.

"But-but this is supposed to be a _family_ outing! We're not a family without our beloved daughter and sister! How could you not want to spend time with us? You went missing during the carnival yesterday and now you're not going bowling?"

"I didn't go missing! You all ditched me as soon as you stepped out of the limo! How is that _my_ fault?!" She took a small amount of pleasure every time he flinched at her raised voice, not that she'd ever admit that to anyone. "I'm tired. If you guys want to go bowling go ahead. But I'm going to take a nap."

"MAMAAAAA, make our daughter behave and come with the rest of us!"

Kyouya sighed heavily. "Tamaki, believe me, you are most definitely not my type and Haruhi is most definitely not my daughter. However, Haruhi, I will make you a deal. If you go on this venture, I will give you two weeks free of cleaning duties."

"Tempting, Kyouya-senpai, but if I don't clean, you and I both know it won't get done or it won't get done well. Counter offer, I miss out on this one activity, but for the next week of hosting, I won't complain about the 'cosplay of the day' and I'll at least pretend to be enthusiastic."

Her cool, nonchalance was impeccable. She knew he get annoyed by her complaints of the cosplays (granted, they were usually warranted), she knew Tamaki and the twins would take advantage of her offer. She had everyone on tenterhooks, Tamaki looked severely conflicted, the twins were seeing stars, and everyone was swivelling their heads back and forth as if watching a tennis match.

"Nice try, Haruhi, but there aren't any cosplays scheduled for next week and we all know how terrible an actress you are." Just like that the twins and Tamaki were crushed. Kyouya paused for a moment, considering. "My final offer is a choice. Either you go bowling with us now and I willensure you are left alone to sleep later. Or, we go bowling and leave you to rest now and then tomorrow night, we will _all_ go to a dance club _and_ you will allow Hikaru and Kaoru to provide a dress and style you." Once again, the twins were on edge.

Haruhi decided to prolong their torment. She walked over to the large window and looked out, contemplating. On one hand, she would be guaranteed alone time later on tonight if she went with them now. Therefore she would be guaranteed to be able to talk to Karma and still sleep. She wasn't kidding when she said that fall took a lot out of her.

On the other, she could agree to deal with letting the twins make her over tomorrow and sleep now, maybe even wiggle it so that Karma stayed with her while the others went out. Then again...she smiled as she spotted a loophole. She didn't have to promise to dance with any of them. She could make them jealous by watching her dance with others. She wasn't near as dense as they thought she was. She knew most of them harboured at least a small crush on her. She had known since the incident with Arai. It was later reinforced when Kasanoda entered the picture. She'd have to deal with the twin's pestering and fussing but she'd get her revenge and her sleep. She turned back to the boys.

"I'll take my rest now. A dance club tomorrow night sounds pretty fun actually." She smiled, turning to the twins. "Just no heels, ok?"

"Deal." They were thrilled at the thought of getting Haruhi ready for a night at a club without her complaints. If that meant putting her in flats, so be it. They could work with flats. Their obvious excitement was contagious and in moments, everyone was either laughing outright or grinning fondly at the two devils.

"Alright, everyone, let's go bowling!" Honey exclaimed! Most of the boys cheered, parading out the door, but Tamaki could be heard grumbling about 'family time is supposed to be spent together' or something like that. Once the estate was silent, except the distant scuttling of maids, she let out a deep breath.

"Well that didn't go exactly as I'd planned. But at least they'll all have some fun together." She shrugged her shoulders and went off to the kitchen for a light lunch before heading back to her room to sleep. Hours later, as the sun was beginning its descent, the boys returned to a quiet estate. The first thing they did was check on their favorite girl, whom they found to be still napping.

"Man, I don't think we've ever seen her pass out like this." Hikaru said. His brother nodded while the others muttered their agreement.

"And to think, I thought she was just using her supposed exhaustion as an excuse to avoid a smoke-filled, low-lit bowling alley," Kyouya supplied.

"You know, she was running a fever the other night. Do you think her cliff dive exacerbated her condition?" Tamaki asked calmly and seriously, not noticing the shared glance between Honey and Mori. He was beginning to feel very concerned for her.

"I don't think so, Tama-chan." Honey skillfully derailed his line of thinking, knowing she wasn't really sick that night. "The current was really strong today and she had to swim away from them in order to get back to shore. I think she really is just tired. We should move away from her room so we don't wake her up."

Once they'd reconvened in the game room, everyone started doing their own thing. Kyouya challenged Mori to a game of chess while Karma watched. Honey was racing against Tamaki in some unreleased video game. Hikaru and Kaoru were playing air hockey.

"Hey, Hika?" Kaoru had been unusually quiet since the bowling alley and his older brother knew it was just a matter of time until he started sharing his thoughts.

"Yeah, Kao?"

"You know, Karma really isn't so bad, especially since we've gotten to know him a bit."

"Yeah, I know. It's just, do we really need _another_ guy to compete against? I know you like her too. So does the boss. And Mori-senpai. And even Kyouya-senpai has been increasingly obvious about his intentions."

"Haven't you noticed? Kyouya-senpai has only become more obvious since Karma came back into her life yesterday," Kaoru chuckled. "The Shadow King feels threatened." Both of them looked over at their dark senpai and snorted in laughter until he glanced up at them. They quickly returned to their game, trying to hide their amusement.

"You're right though, big brother. I do love Haruhi. I'm not afraid to admit that to you anymore. Because I know I'm not going to do anything about it. I think Mori-senpai feels the same way. I've seen the somewhat wistful look he gets when he sees Haruhi and Karma together. He's happy for her but he wants her too. He just wants her to be happy more." The younger twin knocked the puck into his brother's side without him blocking it. Kaoru looked up to see Hikaru staring at him and for once, couldn't make out his thoughts.

Hikaru stood there, listening to his more rational side that was his brother. There it was, the one unspoken thing that had ever existed between them, now out in the open. He had known Kaoru loved Haruhi just as much as he did. He just didn't want to admit it, even to himself. Now it was there. Now it was spoken. Hikaru wasn't entirely sure how to handle it but he had to at least think about it now. His brother had said he wasn't going to pursue her. Because he wants her to be happy. It wasn't much of a question of who she would be happy with. It was now a question of if Hikaru was going to help her or hinder her in an attempt to steal her for himself. It would be so easy for Mori-senpai to win her over but he wasn't even going to try either. Kyouya was trying. He was trying hard. And he was going to keep trying. And the boss? Well, he still hasn't figured out his feelings. So what was he going to do? If he was honest with himself, the answer was obvious.

"If you can let her go, little brother," Hikaru started calmly, even though he felt like he was being ripped apart inside, "the least I can do is try." Kaoru gasped. He didn't expect that kind of answer from his irrational, often violent other half. But he smiled.

"I have never been more proud of you than I am right now."

"Besides," the older twin said with a shaky breath, "I might have stood a chance against Mori-senpai. At least I talk to her. I might have even stood a chance against you if I had to. I know I stand a chance against Tono. She sees him more like a bother anyway. But, I really don't fancy going up against both Kyouya and Karma. Especially not on my own." He picked up the forgotten puck and started the game again.

"I'd have to agree with you there, brother," Kaoru snorted. "Those two are scary. But you have to admit, Haruhi's opened up a lot more than usual in the past couple of days."

"You know, you're right. Ever since Karma came around, she's been a lot more fun. I never thought I'd hear her tease the way she has lately. It's pretty awesome."

"Yeah, he's been good for her as far as I can see. It makes me wonder how much we can coax her into now. It also makes me wonder how she'd react around her other friends from their class. From what Karma said, they were all really close."

"Now that you've brought it up," Hikaru's devilish grin spread widely across his cheeks, "I may have an idea."

"Oh? Do tell, dear brother of mine." Kaoru's matching grin splayed out. Mentally, he was cheering madly for his other half. He was going to fully support whatever plan they came up with. He couldn't help but become enthused when it seemed like his brother had taken such a huge step in development.

"Hey, Karma!" Hikaru called over to the red-head, "would you come over here? Kaoru won and he wants to play you." Karma shrugged and wandered over to the twins.

"I'll play so it looks legit to the rest of the hosts, but tell me, what's this really about?" He asked, picking up the puck and spinning it on one finger.

"Whatever do you mean?" Kaoru replied, innocently, "can't I simply desire a challenge from a new opponent?"

"Spare me," Karma said, shooting the puck across the table, only to be blocked by the younger twin. The game was on. "If it was you who wanted me over here, Kaoru, you would have called instead of your brother. If it was just for a quick round of table hockey, you wouldn't be side-eyeing Hikaru."

"I'll admit, you're pretty good." Hikaru said softly. "I wanted you over here to apologize for the way I've been acting. I was jealous of your relationship with her but that's not fair to Haruhi and I wanted to make it up to you both." Both of his companions were stunned. Neither had expected such a blatant outburst of quiet honesty from the older twin.

"I see. Well, I certainly appreciate that, Hikaru. Thank you." Karma was genuinely touched and knew Haruhi would be too. "I assume from the grins you had earlier that you two already have something in mind?"

"Now that you mention it, I have been thinking a lot about what you've told us over the past couple of days about her. How you two and a lot of your other 3rd year classmates were really close and it's because of us that you don't see her anymore?"

"Go on," the red-head encouraged.

"What if you invite some of them to the club tomorrow night? As a surprise for Haruhi."

"Hikaru, that's brilliant!" Kaoru exclaimed, wrapping his brother up in a strong hold. Whispering into his twin's ear, he said, "I was wrong before. I am more proud of you now than ever." Releasing the hug, he settled for holding his brother's hand and giving him whatever strength he needed.

"That is a great idea, Hikaru, and I know she'll love it." Karma knew from Haruhi just how territorial and selfish the older twin could be. He understood just how hard this was for the boy. He was grateful for the fresh start and, mostly for Haruhi's sake, he wasn't going to waste it. "You know, just because I'm Haruhi's best friend doesn't mean I'm trying to keep her from being your best friend. I respect my friendship with her too much to ever risk it and we all know she wouldn't let her friendship with you Hosts fall apart."

"Thanks, Karma. I think we both needed to hear that. She is our best friend and she's still the only one we've ever opened up to. We both felt kinda threatened when you showed up and forced us to see that she could be closer to other people than she is to us." Kaoru squeezed his brother's hand as he finished speaking. Taking a deep breath, he looked down at the game only to realize he had no idea where the puck was. "How about we finish up this round and then figure out how to get her friends to the club?"

Picking up his grip and placing the puck in the middle of the table, Karma replied, "sounds like a plan. Prepare to be wiped out of the country, Hitachiin!"

"HA! In your dreams, Akabane!"

"Get 'im, Kao!"

Eventually, Kaoru did end up getting the best of Karma but it was more just about the game. There spawned a truce amongst the three and a camaraderie. They planned and schemed together well into the night, after everyone else had gone to bed. Haruhi did not wake up once which spawned more than a little concern but after checking on her...five or six times, it was concluded she was simply exhausted.


	18. Morning Rush

A/N: Again, sorry about the delay. From work to my Friendsmas (friends christmas) Party I just could not find the time to upload the chapter until now. Please keep reading and reviewing and forgiving me!

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Morning Rush

In fact, Haruhi's eyes didn't start fluttering until about 4:30 the next morning. She stretched luxuriously and breathed deeply. She felt stifled and her body was humming with energy after indulging in so much undisturbed rest. Kicking off her blankets, she opened her balcony doors to let in some fresh air. The sun hadn't even started its ascent across the sky yet but her body did not care. She needed to be up and moving. She changed into some cotton shorts and a long-sleeved shirt and threw on her old tennis shoes. Darting out of her bedroom door and into the kitchen, she wolfed down a quick breakfast of fruit and water and raced out onto the beach. Water parks may not be her thing but she loved the beach. The sound of the waves reaching their cold fingers onto the shore, the feeling of sand between her toes (even if they were covered at the moment), the fresh, salty air that promised openness.

She started running. She'd always loved the endurance part of her training. The running, the racing, the pounding heartbeats and sharp breaths, the muffled sounds of the world around her. Nothing except her footsteps on the ground. She giggled to herself as she ran. It felt so good! Especially when she ran in the quiet of the morning, when all was dark and still sleeping. All too soon she ran into the dense cove of trees at the edge of the Hitachiin private beach. Without breaking stride, she leaped into the air, quietly landing on one of the lower branches and continued her dangerous pace, bounding from one branch to the next, swinging when one was too far to leap, laughing with the exhilaration of it all!

Out of nowhere, she was tackled mid-leap. The force of it knocked the wind out of her and she landed on the ground coughing and sputtering. She rolled onto her stomach and tried to push herself up, but not before whatever it was kicked her hard in the ribs, making her land about a foot away from her surprise assailant. Instinct and training all kicked in at once as she grabbed the needle-thin blade she used to pin her hair back. Without stopping to think, she hurled her thin blade like a dart before she landed hard and was satisfied to hear a sharp hiss as it hit its mark. It was still dark as pitch. More so under the thicket of trees. She couldn't see more than a few paces in front of her. She'd rely on her hearing then, but she was still coughing heavily. She _had_ to control it! Even if it cost her what little eyesight remaining as tears from the strain sprung to her eyes, she had to become silent as the night that enveloped her and her attacker.

She rolled to her feet and darted behind a nearby tree, holding her side. Tears were streaming from resisting the urge to cough again but she remained quiet. She started slowing her breathing to calm her heart rate and hopefully reduce the strain on her lungs. The slight rustling directly above her was her only warning. She jumped a foot away before tripping over an upended root she couldn't see. One backflip and a searing pain in her side was all it took to clear the root but not without hearing the subtle, metallic whirring of a throwing star and the dull thud of it embedding into the wood she had nearly landed on. ' _Shit, this guy's got weapons too? Who the hell is he?!_ ''

A sudden footstep on her left and she stopped dead in her tracks with one leg out. She felt something smack into it hard and a loud thump of her attacker landing against a tree nearby. She just couldn't tell how near. A whirring noise caused her to duck but the piercing pain in her left ear, followed by what felt like a trickle of water told her she had not ducked in time and now she was dealing with blood loss on top of the potential cracked ribs and she couldn't even tell where her attacker was. She was starting to feel scared. This enemy was good at keeping to the shadows. She could not get close to him. Right now, in this darkness, she could only evade. But she couldn't do that forever. She couldn't make a weapon, that would cost her time and position. All she had were her knives and if she ran out of those, she was done for. As with the assassins that night in Okinawa and the military on the mountainside the night Koro-Sensei died, this was life or death.

"Who sent you, little spy?" She gasped. It was Honey! But this was not a Honey-senpai she had ever heard before! His voice was twisted with the deepest malice and it sent a chilling pit of dread into her.

"I-" Haruhi's voice was contorted in pain and fear, it was unrecognizable.

" _Your mistake? I have not yet begun to fight."_ His voice sounded from a different direction this time. Apparently, he had moved without her noticing, so caught up was she in his terrible voice and her own fear. This was the infamous Honinozuka Mitsukuki who was classified as a weapon of mass destruction. She hated to do this, but she knew she had to. Taking another blade, this one from the concealed slit in the elastic band of her shorts and thicker, she shifted loudly, waiting for him to respond.

" _Don't even think about it_." His voice almost froze her completely. But in the moment he finished speaking, she visualized his body (she'd held him and carried him often enough to know exactly where every limb lie and exactly how long each was) and pitched a second blade toward one of her best friends. She heard a howl of pain just as she felt another piercing stab, this time into her wrist. Glancing down, she saw he had thrown another shuriken. She had been so focused on her own blade hitting its mark in his right shin that she hadn't even heard this one. And now it was stuck just to the right of the vein on the underside. Apparently, it had hit the muscle too, because she could no longer separate the fingers that had held her knife in position. She winced and hissed as she pulled it out and threw it to the side.

A flash to her right brought her arm up just in time to stop a blow from his fist. Using her joined fingers, she pressed hard into the left side of his chest where her thin blade should have landed, hating herself but needing to distract him long enough to let him know it was her. He jumped back, clutching the injury, and seething at her. Without hesitation, she whipped her bangs back, now that they were finally close enough to see each other, and cried out, "Mitsu, it's me!" He stopped just short of lunging at her again.

"Ha-haru-chan?" He squinted his huge honey-colored eyes and limped closer, every muscle still tensed to fight. He was inches from her when his eyes went wide with horror. "Haru-chan," he breathed.

"Yes," she panted, relieved the fighting was over. But they were both badly injured and it could be dangerous. They had to get checked out. They had to get themselves back to the estate and then to the hospital. But first, she had to ensure they both _made_ it back. She ripped off her shirt hissing when the sleeve pulled at the drying blood on her wrist, and using her teeth, tore it into strips. One she had Honey bind her wrist tightly, one went to his shin. Another, she pulled into a sling to keep his arm steady and his injured pectoral from moving too much. As soon as he realized what she was doing, and why she had stripped her shirt, Honey was all too eager to help however he could.

"Honey-senpai, do you know the way back to the estate? I've lost my bearings and we need to get back now."

"Sure thing, Haru-chan." He sniffed the air in the silence. Whatever he was smelling for was lost on her but he seemed to pick it up. "Follow me. The beach is that way," he said, pointing.

"Can you walk, senpai?"

"Of course I can, Haru-chan." But with his injured shin, he stumbled on the very first step he took and the blood still oozing from the wound darkened. She sighed.

"Get on my back," she told him, ignoring the pain in her ribs as she bent down for him. "You direct, I'll walk. We'll make it together. Mori-senpai would never forgive me if I let you hurt yourself anymore than you already are. Hell, he'll likely never forgive me as it is. Now get on. We don't have time to waste."

He clambered onto her as delicately as he could and situated himself so that his chest would not be too jostled. His leg extended out in front of them so she could be careful to not hit it on anything. She grunted as she raised them both but uttered no complaint.

"Now, which way again?" When she had her direction, she set off. She tried to move as quickly as she could without jerking her charge too much. But every time she felt his grip slack, she would have to shake him sharply. The last thing she needed was for him to fall unconscious. So as much as her ribs screamed in protest, she trotted on, carrying her oldest senpai on her back, rattling him when necessary, hoping they would make it and that their injuries weren't as severe as she feared. At one point, she tripped over a root and sprained her ankle. The misstep had caused Honey to cry out softly as he was jerked too sharply.

"Are you okay, Haru-chan?" He hissed.

"Yeah," she grunted, "just point me again."

Nothing more was spoken but now, with every step, she had to fight the urge to stop, to rest, to cry out. Her ribs, she was learning to manage but adding her ankle forced her to bite her lower lip so hard, she tasted blood. She was starting to see more, meaning the sun was finally rising. It was still shadowy under the trees but at least it wasn't pitch black anymore. About twenty-five minutes after she noticed the shadowy grey of pre-dawn, she finally spotted the edge of the small forest they were tramping through. The bright orange that shown through the remaining trees and the sounds of the crashing waves were all she needed to give push her into renewed adrenaline. That was all she had now.

"Come on, Honey-senpai, we're almost there." She didn't know if she was trying to convince him or herself anymore but she knew she needed to speak even if it killed her. Privately she thought it just might.

"Takashi?" Came his weakened reply. It worried her. She focused on moving faster.

"Yes, I know Mori-senpai's worried sick about you." She panted. They didn't speak again until they were finally clear of the trees.

"Finally," she wheezed, "we made it to the beach. It's only about another mile or so now." It was getting harder to breathe, the pain in her side was increasing with every step. Her wrist was on fire from carrying the small blonde. It felt like he was getting heavier. She was limping heavily to favor her sprained ankle. All she wanted to do was sit down, just for a minute, and rest but she had to keep going. Haruhi knew she didn't have a choice. If she gave up now, she would not get up again and they would not be found for hours. If only she hadn't left her cell on the dresser in her rush this morning! Wait...

"Senpai, do you have your phone on you?"

Silence.

"Honey-senpai," she hissed. Nothing. She gave him a little shake, more rough than the last ones and he groaned.

"Mitsu, you have to stay awake. Now, do you have your phone on you?" Her panting was becoming more laboured and she stumbled.

"Mm-mmm," he murmured against her back. She allowed herself a brief lament before trudging on.

They were about halfway to the manor when a wavering sight brought her up short, swaying where she stood. It looked like a tall, dark figure that was rushing to them. She cried out to it in relief, not caring about whether it was friend or foe, causing Honey to lift his head.

"Takashi," he breathed, quietly. That one word was enough. She finally allowed herself to collapse, knowing they were safe. That Honey was safe. Once she understood that, she couldn't fight it anymore and her body shut down, falling face first into the sand, leaving Honey to topple off of her. The last thing Haruhi heard before everything went black was the blonde man's panicked voice crying out her name in alarm.


	19. The Hospitalized Hosts

The Hospitalized Hosts

She wouldn't stir again for hours. Not until well after the sun had once again submerged itself would the girl start awakening to the annoyingly steady beep to her right. Thinking it was her alarm clock, she tried to reach over and tap the snooze button, hoping for those last few undisturbed minutes of sleep before school. But instead of the peace she sought, all she felt was pain. It coursed through her side like a freight train and shocked her system fully alert. Gasping, she tried bolting up, only to be hit with another wave. She cried out at the intensity of it. Suddenly there were a pair of arms at her shoulders pushing her back, bringing back a violent memory, causing her to panic and the beeping to increase erratically. She tried to shove the hands off her but only felt agonizing pain in one of her wrists.

"Haru, shh shhh, Haru, it's just me." The familiar voice broke through her blind fear and brought her up short.

"Karma?" She asked quietly, blinking owlishly up into the face of her best friend as if only just seeing him. He sat close to her, wrapped his arms around her gently, careful to avoid her wounds and give her space to back away should she need it, and stroked her hair.

"Yes, my dear. It's me. It's okay. You're fine. I won't let anything hurt you, I swear it." She leaned into his warmth, allowing his voice to soothe her. The beeping returned to a steady pace. It was then she realized, she was lying in a bed. The last thing she remembered was the feeble voice…of…

"Honey-senpai, what happened?! Where is he?! Is he alright?!" That erratic beeping was only serving to make her more anxious and was really starting to get on her nerves. She tried to sit up again but was once more wracked by overwhelming pain.

"Haruhi," Karma exclaimed, trying to calm her again, "you can't keep doing that! Your ribs are fractured and if you keep this up they could shatter. Please, lay back and relax. Honinozuka is fine. He's just in the next room. He was even awake when I last saw him." She breathed deeply and finally allowed him to carefully guide her back to her pillows and surveyed her surroundings. She was in a hospital bed. In a rather overly spacious hospital room. She sighed again, this time at the opulence of the place before taking stock of herself. Her left ankle felt heavy as she tried to shift it. Karma, realizing what she was doing, lifted the covers to reveal a bright pink cast, already covered with signatures from most of her boys. ' _This had to be Tamaki's idea'_.

She remembered her wrist next and lifted it for inspection. Karma held her arm steady for her and slowly rotated it. Wrapped in gauze, there wasn't much to see but she could feel the pull of the stitches whenever it was moved. She was exasperated. This was her writing hand! How was she supposed to do her schoolwork now?! Steeling herself for the worst of the injuries, she lifted the bedcovers with her good arm, shifted the pale green paper-gown, and looked down. Karma had the decency to look away but what she saw had her eyes bugging out of their sockets. A black bruise had encompassed the entire right side of her chest. From hip to shoulder, all the way over to her sternum was blackened. ' _Damn, Honey_ ' she thought. When she could bare it no longer, she lowered the blankets again.

"Wha-what happened? You know, when we got back?" She asked her best friend, timidly.

"Oh, you mean when Morinzuka came bursting into the manor at the crack of dawn, carrying the unconscious forms of both of you and bellowing for someone to call an ambulance?" She paled. Her heartrate monitor sped up. He chuckled lightly and resumed stroking her hair. In moments, the monitor was back to normal and he smirked at her easy response to his ministrations. "Anyway, we were all panicked but Ootori was able to at least staunch the bleeding from both of you and send about a dozen or so members of his private squad to find out who had attacked you both, or as the twins said, the remains of him or them. I don't think anyone believed one person could have taken you both on and lived.

"About the time the ambulance arrived was the same time Souh realized you were only half-dressed. You'd've laughed yourself hoarse of you had seen his reactions to that! Once we all got to the hospital, we were told you were both getting x-rayed. Your senpai required surgery to remove your blade from his chest and you needed your ribs and ankle reset. I'm guessing Ootori had something to do with it because you were both in and out fairly quickly and with no complications. Honinozuka woke up about three hours after that and explained everything. He felt horrible for attacking you like that."

She lay propped up on her multitude of pillows listening to him speak while practically purring into the soothing gestures he was using on her head. "What about Mori-senpai? Is he mad at me?"

He stopped stroking her hair and stared at her. "What? Why the hell would Morinozuka be mad at you?"

"Well, I did just put his cousin in the hospital…through surgery…and if I'm not mistaken based on where my first blade landed, almost pierced his heart and killed him…"

"I guess if you put it like that. But you could think about it this way, Haru. You made sure you both came back to us alive. You were strong enough to keep fighting until you knew you and your friend were safe. To the detriment of your own self, you walked on. Haru, Morinozuka is nothing but grateful to you. He'd be here thanking you but he hasn't left Honinozuka's side since he was given a room. The rest of your host club went back to the manor to freshen up and sleep."

"Weird. As overbearing as they are, you'd think they'd at least stay until I woke up."

"Oh, believe me, Haru, they wanted to. But, let's just say they also had a few things to prepare for when you two were released. No one expected you to wake up until morning anyway, but I didn't want to take the chance on you waking up alone so I stayed behind." She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Alright, what did you do? I know them. They'd never leave me laying in the hospital bed with just you on guard."

Her closest friend smirked at her and she raised an eyebrow. "Okay, okay, you caught me. I used logic they couldn't refute. Ootori has a reputation to maintain in his own hospital and he was still covered in blood. The twins and Souh are working on something for you and Honinozuka. They only let me stay behind because I'm the only one available to protect you. With Honinozuka down for the count and Morinozuka not leaving his side, that left me to watch out for you. Once I pointed all that out and Morinozuka pointed out that he was in the next room and would check up on you once in a while, it was pretty easy to get the others to leave."

Their conversation was halted by the entrance of a nurse. "Oh, good, you're awake. I'm your night nurse, Tanaka Fumiko. How are you feeling?" She asked kindly. Karma stood up and returned to his chair by her bedside while Haruhi allowed herself a momentary lament at the loss of warmth and comforting fingertips.

"Honestly," the girl replied, "you'd think I'd be in more pain than I am. As long as I lay still, I don't feel anything at all."

"I see," the nurse made some notes on her clipboard and studied the monitors for a moment before turning back to her patient. "And how do you feel if you do move or shift?"

"Like I've been hit by a truck." Tanaka-san chuckled warmly.

"Well, you're not far off, I'll give you that. You and your friend next door managed to do quite a number on each other. You have three fractured ribs, one broken ankle, your ear and wrist both had to be stitched up. Ootori-san had our best plastic surgeon on staff assist with the procedures so there should be minimal scarring but we shall have to wait and see." Turning to Karma, she continued, "Now, if you don't mind, sir, I will have to ask you to leave while I examine Miss Fujioka and ask her a few questions." Though, the way she said it made clear that she was not issuing a request.

"No worries. I need to go tell Morinozuka you're awake anyway. See you in a bit, Haru." He smiled and waved cheerfully as he exited the room and made his way next door. Knocking softly, he waited for an even softer grunt before he entered the darkened room.

"How goes it with Honinozuka?" Karm asked quietly, not wanting to bear witness to the dangerous 2nd demon he'd heard about.

"Stable. Haruhi?"

"She finally woke up. Panicked though, and I had to calm her down. Then she worked herself up again. She's worried about Honinozuka and she thinks you are mad at her. Her nurse came in and is now examining her so I came over here to give you an update."

"Thank you." The gentle giant looked over at his charge sleeping soundly and felt horrible. How could he let the two most important people in his life do this to each other? Where was he when they were attacking each other so ruthlessly? He bowed his head, momentarily lost in his own wallowing until he felt a light hand on his shoulder.

"Stop that," Karma said softly, "I know what you're doing. But from what Honinozuka said earlier, all he saw was a shadowy figure running from the mansion. He suspected danger and leapt into pursuit. You were in the shower and there was no time to waste. We can't change what happened. Beating ourselves up over it isn't going to help Haruhi and Honinozuka at all and will only make them worry."

He knew how the heir felt because he was struggling with the same guilt and shame. Whatever front he put up in front of his Haru was just that…a front. It ate him alive to see her in pain like that and know he could do nothing for her. Hell, he couldn't even help Ootori bind her wounds. He had been panicked to see her bleeding freely and unconscious. He'd had to force himself to stay where he was and not go tearing through the place they were found, hunting the bastard(s) they thought did this and making them pay for every mark they laid on her. Losing himself in his own thoughts and emotions, he almost didn't notice when Mori repeated his own actions.

As for the older teenager, he listened to Karma and noted, not for the first time, just how similar the boy and Haruhi were. No one could read him like those two first years. When at the end of his speech, the boy failed to continue, he looked up to see his red hair covering his ducked face and knew he wasn't the only one bearing blame. Laying his hand on the boy's shoulder, he waited until his onyx eyes met golden before giving the younger man a small smile.

"You are right. It won't help them. Go on. You two still have much to discuss." It took Karma a moment to remember what he was talking about. Once he did, he only shook his head.

"Nah, this isn't really the time or place. Besides after I contact the rest of your club, they're gonna come right back to see her. And with her being injured like she is, she is in no condition to take on an assignment like the one we got."

"I do not know the details. I will not ask. However, Haruhi is always surprising us with her reactions to things. You know her well but she may yet surprise you too. The others do not have to know she has woken up until morning. It will give you time to talk things over."

"Sneaky plan, Morinozuka. I like it."

"Just Mori." The two bid each other goodnight and Karma walked back out into the hallway, thinking about the conversation he'd just had. He had no intention of bringing up their assignment when she cried out in pain every time she moved. In fact, he figured on just telling Karasama she couldn't accept it. He heaved a deep sigh as he watched the nurse open Haruhi's door and join him in the hallway. She had a slightly horrified look on her face and seemed not to notice him standing next to her.

"Uhm." Just clearing his throat to get her attention was enough to make the poor woman jump out of her wits. "Sorry about that, Tanaka-san. Just wondered if I could go back in."

Huh? Oh y-yes. Yes, of course." The woman tried to compose herself again but she wouldn't be fooling anybody if this was anything to go by. Curious, he opened her door and peered inside. What he found perturbed him. It was his Haru, looking every bit as injured as when he left, but her face…what had happened? She bore a deep, almost haunted expression in her thousand-miles-away stare. She didn't even seem to notice him step into the room. She furrowed her brow and bit her lip. He started approaching her carefully.

"Haru, are you ok-"

"I want to go through with the mission." Her voice sounded as far away as her gaze looked. It sounded so empty compared to the way she sounded when he left her room. What had happened between her and that nurse?

"Haruhi…" He came closer and reached out to touch her hand, only to quickly pull away when she jumped and her monitor's beeping sped up. Holding his hands up in surrender, he questioned gently, "aright, what happened?"

"What do you mean?" She replied, trying to bring herself back to the present, to her friend.

He crossed his arms. "Don't play stupid. You can't pull it off. Now, when I left, you were fine. In pain, but personality-wise, you were normal. I come back fifteen minutes later and you look and sound like you just saw an actual ghost." She smiled at him but it was empty as her voice.

"Oh I'm fine." He raised an eyebrow. She sighed. "Okay so I will be. And I'll tell you eventually. Just…just not now." He smiled a little, knowing he wasn't going to get any more out of her than she wanted to share. She was stubborn like that.

"Fine, I'll bite. Now, what do you mean you wanted to go through with the mission? In case you haven't noticed, you're injured pretty bad."

"I'm not talking right now, you big dope." He smirked at her annoyed face. There was his Haru. "I just mean…shit. Ritsu!" Karma's phone lit up with their world wired mobile friend.

"Glad to see you're still in one piece, Haruhi. We were all very worried when Karma told us the change of plans."

The brunette narrowed her eyes at the pair. "We? Wait, what change of plans?" She asked with a clipped tone.

"Ah, nothing, nothing at all," Karma replied, throwing his hand over the screen to block out visual. However, he could do nothing about the sound. "Now, why did you call her up?"

"To run a scan for bugs or recording devices. What change of plans? Don't you dare tell me you've already cancelled my involvement in this assignment."

"No, of course not! No one in their right mind would be that stupid." He laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck, neglecting to mention he had thought of doing just that.

"You'd be surprised actually," the girl grumbled. She recalled a few times when certain hosts believed it their job to make plans on her behalf. She still had no idea how they'd managed to get her a passport without her knowing. She sighed heavily, choosing to ignore these 'plans' for now. "Ritsu, is your check complete?"

"Already taken care of. Except for the security monitor, there was nothing to interfere with. The monitor is only equipped for video, not audio, so I ran the calculations and decided the best course of action would be to leave it alone. As long as you two don't get into it, you should be fine. Not that Haruhi has much fight in her at the moment." She winked and Karma's screen went black, leaving both teens shaking their heads at his phone, a mix of exasperation and amusement playing on their faces.

"Now that that's taken care of," Haruhi started, "can we talk about this finally? I want to do it. Now that I know what kind of person Yoshio is, he has to be stopped and I want to be the one to take him out." Karma sat down at the foot of her bed, facing her.

"You can't even sit up on your own, let alone take down a zaibatsu powerhouse. It'll be months before you're healed enough for a job like this. You heard Karasama, we only have a limited window of opportunity before his level of vulnerability is extinguished. A guy like that won't stay down for long. Definitely not long enough for you to heal."

"I know but won't it make more sense to wait until he's no longer on high alert _because_ he feels vulnerable? Think about it, he almost had to sell out his entire corporation to some foreigner. Kyouya saved them all at the last minute but Yoshio is going to be looking over his shoulder for a while. Eventually he will return to his normal self but while he is vulnerable, I actually think it would be more dangerous to attack him. Hell, he might even be expecting some kind of retaliation from Grande Tonnerre not only for losing the Ootori corporation, but Tamaki as well. Assassination is all about waiting for the right moment to strike the killing blow and right now is just too soon."

Listening to his best friend, he knew her logic made perfect sense. Going along with her idea meant she had time to heal before setting any plans they came up with into motion. She had him by the ropes. He could not think of any holes. Sighing in resignation, though he knew it would happen her way from the beginning, he stared hard at the girl he knew he loved. She returned his level gaze evenly, each one looking for cracks in the other's mask. Just because he knew he would end up seeing it her way did not mean he had to make it easy for her. He hated putting her in the direct line of fire, especially now after seeing her injured and in so much pain.

"I don't know why you're staring me down. You already know you've got me. One question though: why do you feel such a strong need to be on the frontlines of this operation?"

"If not me, then it would be Kyano. She's a great infiltrator, one of the best. But Karasama's right, she doesn't have the stamina to fight long term. Besides, remember the pudding incident? Or Nagisa's kiss? When something unexpected happens to one of our plans, she tends to get really flustered. If she got flustered in front of Yoshio, you can be damned sure he will take advantage of that. I trust her. I don't trust him as far as I can throw him not to do something underhanded and vile. His son is very much like him. I know his son very well. I won't fall for any tricks. It has to be me." She had her own personal reasons for wanting to be the one to take him out but her companion did not need to know them. At least not right now.

The two conspirators continued talking until Haruhi's nurse returned and told them both to get some sleep. The night nurse gave her another dose of her pain medication, made a minor adjustment to her fluids, and bid them goodnight with a slight warning tinting her voice. Karma settled Haruhi comfortably on her pillows before returning to his chair by her bed. In minutes, Haruhi's breathing had evened out. It took Karma a little longer to fall asleep simply because he was still worried about her but eventually his mind did succumb to the realm of dreams.


	20. Party Time

A/N: Sorry it's been so long since the last update. Between work and the holidays and getting laid off from work and trying to find a new job, there's been a lot on my mind. But never fear, I've never stopped working on this chapter. After all, it is the longest chapter yet and hopefully it won't be near as long before the next update. As always, your reviews are greatly appreciated and I love pms too.

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Party Time

It was another two days before the two hosts were discharged from the hospital. In that time, they were hardly left alone. Someone was always with them. With Honey, it was almost exclusively Mori, though after some coercing, he did leave to change clothes and freshen up. When that happened, he would ask Kyouya to sit with his cousin and continue to monitor him. With Haruhi, well, did she really think the twins and Tamaki would leave her alone after she first woke up? In fact, the only time they left the hospital was at night when the nurse came in and practically kicked them out. At night, she would have been alone, except Mori came in every once in a while to check on her, as the other hosts would make Karma leave with them. He was able to further reassure her that neither he nor his cousin were even remotely upset with her. Upon release, and much to the dismay but understanding of the two patients, they were still confined to bedrest and placed on some strong pain medication.

They decided to continue to enjoy what remained of their vacation by staying at the Hitachiin beach estate rather than go home. Haruhi had also decided not to inform her father just yet but made sure to alert the chairman to her continued absence from class. Having already heard what happened from both Kyouya and his son, he assured her it was no problem and that everything would be handled so all she had to do was focus on recovery. She suspected the Shadow King had told her father regardless of her wishes but since she couldn't prove it, she had no choice but to ignore it.

As soon as they arrived at the Hitachiin estate and the doors were opened, there was a bellowing cry of "SURPRISE". Such a thing would have set the two injured fighters on edge had they not been carried by the steadfast and forewarned Mori. As it was, Haruhi twitched enough to cause herself a heavy hiss of pain leaving her clutching her side while Honey instinctively tried to raise his arms and block an incoming attack causing a similar reaction as he grabbed for his chest. Mori wanted to knock some sense into a few of his friends for causing his charges more pain but settled for holding them a little more snug so the two wouldn't injure themselves further and shooting a pointed glance at the ringleaders of this little soiree.

He deposited the two patients on one of the couches and stood close, ensuring himself as their personal guardsman. Haruhi, once she had adjusted to the sudden change in motion, looked around her in bemused awe. Standing in the living room of the Hitachiin beach manor was Horibe Itona, Irina Jelavić, Nakamura Rio, Shiota Nagisa, Kanzaki Yukiko, Terasaka Ryōma, Kyano Kaede, Okuda Manami, and Karma all surrounding her and interspersed here and there were the rest of the host club.

This had to be a side effect of her pain medications. There was no possible way her best friends and favorite teacher from 3rd year were now standing in front of her, in her twin best friends' living room. They had to be a figment of her imagination brought on by the drugs. She blinked slowly, with each closing of her eyes, she knew they would go away but as soon as her eyes opened, she found they were still there. She closed them tight and rubbed them hard enough to cause spots. Opening them again, there they were, only now they were all grinning with amusement and most were struggling not to laugh. There was a flash and she looked in time to see Kaoru putting his phone away.

"Sorry, Haruhi, you're face right now is too priceless!" He said, snickering.

With that, the others started losing control. Karma, Terasaka, and Hikaru were all doubled over. The girls were giggling delightedly. Nagisa and Itona were laughing good-naturedly but had at least kept some of their composure. For some reason though, Kyouya looked put out and thoroughly annoyed. That could just be because of her group of friends though. She decided to ignore it. Tamaki seemed torn between amusement and wanting to run to his corner because Mori had stopped his advance on her.

"Alright, so tell me, how exactly did this happen? How did you-? And then here-? Who? Why now-? Karma?!" This, of course, brought on another round of laughter, even from Mori and Honey, though pain quickly crossed over Honey's face. She was still bewildered and still felt her medication was to blame. She turned to the fiery redhead for an explanation.

It was a little while before he could properly answer her and he could see the small puffs of steam that emitted from her ears as her patience wore down but he had a hard time not laughing. Between her initial reaction, her questions, and now her irritation, it was too much for him! Deciding it would be better to just not look directly at her, he picked a point over her shoulder and, wiping tears from his eyes, he only just got out a breathless "ask the twins". Luckily for him, the younger brother had a little more control.

"It's nothing really, we just wanted to make up for how we'd been treating Karma lately." By this point, the older twin had sobered up and was able to pitch in.

"Yeah, we haven't been the best friend to you and we're sorry about that. So we asked Karma who your old friends were from back then and invited them to go clubbing with us."

" **But then you landed yourself in the hospital so that plan got thrown out and we decided to just have a party here instead.** " Karma saddled up next to his cohorts.

"Besides, it also gave time for more of us to show up." They watched her face slowly change from confuddled to elated awe.

"You two, you three, did all this? For me? Hikaru? Kaoru?" It was real. All of her closest friends, all of them, were in the same room together. And it was because of the twins! They had allowed themselves to open up to Karma and the three of them had come together to plan this. They had owned up to their behavior and apologized to her in front of everyone. Tears glistened in her eyes as she broke into the widest smile any of the hosts had ever seen on her. Reaching out for the twins, she pulled them down to her level when they got close enough and planted a soft kiss on each of their cheeks.

"Thank you guys. Thank you so much! You have no idea how much this means to me," she whispered to them before letting them go. Flustered and blushing, the two retreated to the corner and allowed Haruhi's other friends to surround her.

"So Haruhi," Terasaka started in on the girl, "we hear tell you decided to take on a Honinozuka. Gotta say, bold move. And it doesn't look like you faired too well either. What, lost your touch?" He teased, ruffling her hair. Unfortunately, his ruffling hand nudged her newly sewn ear. Eyes still filled with tears from the twins' gesture, she pouted her lower lip and quivered it.

"Owww!" She sniffed, letting a teardrop fall, "why would you do that, Terasaka? That hurt!" She sniffed again, watching as the hosts bristled and her friend got all flustered.

"I- I'm sorry, Fujioka! I didn't know! I'll be careful I promise!"

"Oh yeah," she said, trying to stifle her laughter, "I've completely lost my touch." She snorted. "Come on, Terasaka, lighten up." This caused laughter from the rest of her 3rd year friends as Irina came over to sit on her free side.

"I see you're still the natural you were before," the blonde bombshell remarked, chuckling. "So how did all this happen anyway?" The others quieted down, waiting for her to answer.

"Well, I went out for an early morning run, kind of how we all used to do together?" Everyone from E-class nodded at the memory, some smiling nostalgically. Her Host Club boys still waited. "I ended up at the end of the beach but I didn't feel like turning back so I just continued on into the trees."

"Wait, what do you mean you continued on into the trees?" Hikaru interrupted. "The underbrush over there hasn't been cleared out in years. There's no way you could run through there."

"I meant just what I said. I continued into the trees. I leapt onto a branch and just kept going, kind of how we used to run on the rooftops." Her E-class friends nodded again in recognition.

"It's true," Honey intruded. "When I caught her, she had jumped from one thick branch and had almost reached another. I kinda knocked her out of the air and kicked her when we hit the ground." He looked down sheepishly and rubbed at the back of his neck. He hadn't told anyone exactly what happened in that forest, only that he had mistaken Haruhi for an intruder and acted accordingly. "If it helps, she gave me this in return," he said, pointing at the bandaged spot on his chest through his shirt.

"So let me get this straight," Kayano said, placing a hand to her forehead, "You went running through the trees, Honinozuka knocked you out of the air, and in return, you almost stabbed him in the heart? Geez, Haruhi, one would think you didn't like your friends or something."

"Hey! In my defense, I didn't know it was him, okay?! It was dark!"

"That would explain the fractured ribs and foreign object found in Honey-senpai's chest, but what about his leg and your ear and ankle?" Kyouya inquired, from the back of the group.

"I went to tackle Haru-chan again and tripped over something. After I landed, I threw one of my shuriken and moved around, still thinking she was a spy."

"Oh yeah, see, that's the one that hit my ear. I tried to dodge it but I couldn't even see you, let alone the tiny piece of metal. You started talking to me and that's when I realized it was you, not just some attacker. Seriously, Honey-senpai, you're scary when you mean business." Haruhi laughed, nervously. "I was so scared I couldn't even speak!" She watched as the rest of the hosts sweatdropped. They knew exactly what she was talking about and suddenly flashes crossed their minds of just how badly this little fight could have ended.

"I think we're good on the details. Heh heh" Tamaki said shakily.

"That the important thing," Hikaru started;

"Is that you both got back safely," his brother continued;

" **So why don't we just forget it all happened and enjoy the party?** " They ended.

"Hey Karma, what's up with those scratches and bruises on your face? Who'd you get into it with this time?" Nakamura asked, a little loudly as the volume of conversations started to increase. The twins started laughing.

" **The side of a cliff and the bottom of Haruhi's foot.** " They answered for him.

"Aww, you guys have been hanging out without us? No fair!" Kayano replied.

"Not exactly hanging out so much as we ran into each other at a fair and started sparring again." Haruhi responded.

"So…hanging out." Her green-haired friend said, deadpanning.

"Yeah, I guess when you put it like that." The doe-eyed brunette grinned.

Looking around the room, she couldn't help but laughing at the sight her E-class and Ouran friends made when talking to each other. The twins were trying to put the moves on Nakamura who shut them down with her cool demeanor. They tried turning their attentions to Kanzaki but didn't even realize she turned them down until after she walked away. Their brazen, homo-bros act was getting them nowhere and it was pure delight to see them so out of their element. Tamaki wasn't fairing much better. None of her E-class sisters were falling for his princely charms and false promises. He was getting left out in the cold. When he turned to Kayano, he attempted to use his wealth to woo her.

"Come, my lovely green-haired goddess, and let me whisk you away to wherever your dainty heart desires. All this wealth and my only wish is to shower it upon your visage." Haruhi could see the gleam in her friend's eye, the blush rising to her face, the way her lips slightly parted as she gasped quietly. She could see the confidence in Tamaki's face grow as he thought he'd finally reeled her in.

Then, without any amount of exuberance whatsoever, she heard her friend respond, "Oh my god I so don't care." The absolute shell-shock expression her senpai took on was a snapshot in her mind that Haruhi knew she would never forget. It was amazing and had she been in any condition to, she would have doubled over laughing at his demise. Cruel it may seem but as having been the target of his unending attentions for so long, to see someone else refuse to succumb to his charms was priceless.

However, as always, Tamaki recovered quickly and was back to normal the moment Nagisa walked by. From the looks of it, he was on his way to Karma and Terasaka who were joking around with the twins, no doubt planning a prank, but he never made it.

Tamaki stepped in front of him to try his out his charms once again. "How do you do, my blue-belled blossom? Would you like for me to whisk you away? It seems only fair, for I am already so lost in your eyes." Haruhi almost couldn't fight it anymore. But she still held control as she was eager to hear how this one progressed. Glancing to the side, she could see Kayano point out the unlikely couple to Terasaka and Karma who had to hold their hands over their mouths in order to stifle the laughter.

"No, I think you've got the wrong idea. I'm not into guys," Nagisa exclaimed, waving his hands in front of his face, nervously.

"Oh now, you don't have to lie to me princess. I can see it in your eyes. You're as captivated by my beauty as I am by yours." Tears were streaming out of Haruhi's eyes as she struggled not to laugh. Karma and Terasaka weren't faring much better and by now, everyone was watching the exchange and suffering varying degrees of suppressed hilarity. Okuda, being the sweet girl she is, started to step forward to set the record straight but Nakamura held her back and whispered in her ear, probably telling her to let it play out.

"I'm serious. This is a misunderstanding! I'm really not interested!" Nagisa looked back at the rest of his friends, pleading with them to help him out but only received snickering, shaking heads in return. His full-on blush was almost their undoing.

Tamaki was so caught up in his own fantasy, he saw none of this and powered on. Tilting Nagisa's chin up, he lowered his lids and spoke even more seductively. "Hush now, my ethereal angel, you don't have to be afraid of our love. I promise I will never let you fall." At this point, Itona walked up behind Nagisa and wrapped his arms around Nagisa's chest.

"It's true, Suoh. Nagisa here really isn't interested in guys. Just me." As Itona guided a soulless Nagisa back to the E-class group, no one could contain their laughter any longer. The walls shook with the mirth that reverberated off them. It was then that Ritsu, who had to be quiet around the three hosts not in the know, decided to further Nagisa's humiliation. All the E-class students and Professor Bitch received an image text that, when opened, revealed a very shy-looking, cross-dressing Nagisa having acorn soup with a very enamored-looking boy at their 3rd year festival. The laughter increased and Nagisa just turned even more red-faced.

Kyouya walked up behind his best friend and smacked the back of his head, muttering, "Idiot."

"What?! I didn't know she was already taken! You know me! I'd never try to come between true love!" He couldn't understand why everyone was laughing so hard or why the laughter increased even further, if that were possible. People were wiping tears from their eyes, the twins, Terasaka, and Karma were all on the floor, the rest of the lovely ladies seemed to be trying to hold each other up or else suffer the same fate, even Mori's deep rumbling laughter could be heard. He just didn't get it.

It was a while before the mirth began to simmer down, but the party eventually moved on. Small groups broke off to form their own conversations, Professor Bitch and Haruhi were catching up with each other, Mori had taken Honey up to his room when he started nodding off, Haruhi's E-class friends took turns signing her cast and teasing her about the glaring pink color. The hosts intermingled with E-class. Tamaki apologized profusely to Nagisa once he was finally told that the blunette was a boy.

However, stealing glances at their not-so-secret Host Club princess, each host had to admit to himself that he had never seen her so vibrant. Not one of the hosts had ever seen her flirt or tease or laugh or glow the way she was with her friends from 3rd year. She was so relaxed, so in her element. She taunted, she quipped, she tricked, she seemed like a whole new person. Each host found he was fascinated all over again by the puzzle that was Haruhi.

The twins were proud of themselves for being the ones to inspire this new Haruhi. After all, it was their idea to bring her old friends over for this welcome back party. Kyouya was torn between being thoroughly pissed off at never being able to entice the kind of reactions from her as her 3rd year friends had in the last couple of hours and being absolutely mesmerized by how utterly stunning she looked in this new vibrancy. Tamaki was trying not to drool over the visions she conjured up as she teased her other friends and more than once had to be prevented from glomping her by her ever-present bodyguard, Mori. Haruhi barely spared him an annoyed glance and he ended up back in his corner.

Mori was glad to be her guard. It meant he could be allowed to stand close to her. He could listen to all her conversations, he could enjoy her laughs and smiles. He sincerely wondered how the boys from her 3rd year didn't seem as taken by her charms as he and his friends were. None of them appeared to have to fight back a blush, not one of them became flustered by her attentions or her smile. They could roll with it and dish it right back. It was interesting to watch, especially when he could tell his friends had a hard time keeping their eyes off her. He watched as one of them, the soft-spoken, black-haired Kanzaki he remembered, trotted up to her couch.

"No way, you got thrown off a cliff? How did that happen?" She asked, excitedly. Haruhi glared at Karma.

"Ask him," she said, nodding to the boy. Mori suppressed a small chuckle at her apparent irritation. "He's the one who did it."

"No, he told us about that. I was talking about the one that Kaoru mentioned when he finished." Mori blinked and glanced at the twins who were watching, hoping to catch Haruhi embarrassed. Instead, both their jaws had dropped and they came over to interrupt. Apparently, they were just as surprised as he was.

" **You can tell us apart**?!" They practically yelled in her face, causing the rest of the room to still.

"Well, yeah. Haruhi's told us enough about you and after finally meeting you, it was easy to figure out." Kanzaki blushed lightly. "I'm sure any of us could do it." The other E-class members nodded in agreement and the twins stepped back, stunned. Now, not only was Haruhi the very first to ever tell them apart but she brought a whole contingent of friends who could see them as individuals.

Kanzaki shrugged and turned back to the brunette. "So, how'd you end up getting thrown off a cliff, Haruhi?" Suddenly she was surrounded by E-class, all speaking at once. It seemed she had told none of them about her first trip to the beach.

"Well well, Haruhi, could it be that we know something about you that you haven't shared with your other friends?" Taunted Kyouya from his position against the wall where he was conversing with Nakamura over Catcher and the Rye. He had to begrudgingly admit he was enjoying the dialogue. Haruhi's E-class friends seemed more capable of holding their own in an interesting conversation than all of his elite acquaintances combined. He had just finished a rousing debate with Okuda on the medical benefits of THC versus the moral arguments of its addictiveness when the blonde walked up to him and told him that Haruhi had mentioned he had been reading her favorite book. Now he had knowledge about her that they did not know and it felt good to be back on top.

"It's no big deal. We all mess up sometimes. We don't have to get into it. It was nothing, really." Haruhi exclaimed, trying to brush it off. It was too late and she knew it, but that didn't mean she couldn't try.

"Wouldn't you want to impart the knowledge upon your fellow female companions so that they would take steps to avoid confrontations like that? Come on, now Haruhi, where's your sympathy to the female plight?"

"Hey! It's not like any of them are much taller than I am!" Now her E-class friends were confused. What did her height have to do with getting thrown off a cliff?

"Alright, alright. Some punks were harassing our guests. I went to stop them and one of them picked me up. I'm short so I couldn't get the leverage I needed to retaliate. End of story. See? Nothing major."

"Oh Haruhi, is that all? Here, let mama show you how it's done." Professor Bitch got up from her spot on the couch and sauntered up to Mori, pouting at him. "That is, if this big guy will help me with a demonstration. What do you say? Care to help me teach these girls how to handle a situation like that?"

Haruhi snickered as her former teacher pressed herself up against her senpai. Taking pity on his discomfort, she offered, "Professor Bitch, you don't have to do all that. He would have helped anyway. Right, Mori-senpai?" He nodded. When Irina turned her back to him, though, he hesitated. Where could he grab her that wouldn't be inappropriate? The woman was all chest and hips. He looked up at Haruhi, who nodded her encouragement. With a heavy swallow, he reached around her slim waist and lifted her off the ground. It wasn't a difficult task per se but he wanted to be careful not to touch her in a manner undeserving of a lady.

"Oh no," Irina falsely cried out, lightly flailing her legs, "whatever shall I do?" She looked at her former pupils. "You see girls, from this position, it can be easy to feel helpless and be manipulated by an attacker, as Haruhi quickly discovered."

"I wasn't _that_ helpless," the group heard her mutter, causing some intermittent chuckles around the room.

"Anyway, there's a trick for getting out of situations like this. Make sure you hook your leg behind that of your attackers. Like so," her right ankle wrapped around his right knee in a vice-like grip. "The advantage is two-fold. You attacker can no longer swing you around like a rag doll from this position and it lines up your other leg for a perfect groin shot, causing your opponent to drop you and allowing you to fight as normal. See? Simple." The girls stared at their former teacher with renewed awe and appreciation. As brazen as she could be, Professor Bitch really did know her stuff and it was sometimes easy to forget that. The momentary spell was broken when one of the guys spoke up from the back.

"Well, would you look at that? Professor Bitch actually taught us something practical!"

"I heard that, you little punk! Get over here and say that to my face!" She started struggling against Mori who still held her in the air, now unwilling to let her down when she was agitated. She seemed as volatile as Hikaru but her students merely laughed as if it was normal for them to anger their teacher.

Mori had known they had a strange education in their 3rd year but these dynamics were so far different than anything he'd ever experienced. He hated to say it but he was confused! Having been taught all his life to show nothing but the utmost respect and obedience to his elders and especially his senseis, he couldn't understand why these 1st years were so casual. He had been stunned when Haruhi had stood up to Kyouya's father at the festival but apparently talking back to one's elders was a common occurrence.

"Professor Bitch, calm down! You don't want to stab Mori-senpai's shins with your stilettoes, do you?" Haruhi asked, snickering along with the rest of her 3rd year friends. "Senpai, would you please put her down? Besides," she continued sardonically, "if you got hurt, it'd effect the bottom line, wouldn't it, Kyouya-senpai?" She rolled her eyes in his direction.

"That's right, Haruhi," he replied, smirking. "In fact, it might force me to start a new debt for you."

"Like hell, you're putting Haruhi under a new debt!" Terasaka stepped in front of her, shouting and pointing at Kyouya.

"Yeah, that first debt you placed on her wasn't her fault to begin with and neither would this be!" Nakamura went away from Kyouya to stand next to Terasaka. The others started following suit until the E-class mates had formed a barrier between he and Haruhi with Karma hovering closely over her.

"Oh, really? Your friend here broke an expensive vase. A vase she could not have hoped to pay back unless she worked for us. And in this case, had she not confronted those boys, she would not have gotten herself thrown off a cliff and would therefore not need the demonstration."

"Haruhi is not clumsy. How did she break the vase?" Itona inquired, quietly.

"And you blaming her if Professor Bitch _had_ injured Morinozuka is just stupid. If you want to play the chain reaction game, you'd essentially be blaming her for being born short! Just like Souh being blamed by his useless grandmother for his father falling in love to the point that she would send him off to France at the first opportunity." Okuda proclaimed.

"Or Honinozuka's family blaming him simply because he has a different personality than the rest," declared Nagisa.

"The Hitachiins being blamed for shutting everybody out when no one else ever bothered to get to know each of them," counted Terasaka.

"In other words, blaming a person for something that is out of their control is underhanded and cruel and that is not a thing we will allow you to do to Haruhi," Kanzaki hissed.

The Host Club boys were silent. Haruhi really had told them everything, all their darkest burdens. For once, even Kyouya had nothing to say. He'd lost the argument the moment her friends stood up for her. Not that he'd ever intended to start a debt anyway, he was only joking with her, but apparently it had rubbed her classmates the wrong way. Suddenly Karma's words came to the forefront of his mind: _"she knew we would take issue with the way you've been treating her"._

"How did she break the vase?" Itona asked again.

"Don't you remember? She was backed into it when Romeo over there," Nakamura gestured at Tamaki, who winced, "kept making sexual advances on her."

"Oh, so that one was beyond her control as well, yet they still placed her under a heavy debt that any of them could have easily paid off? Why didn't Souh pay for the vase since, if we're playing the domino game, it was actually _his_ fault?" Itona studied the Host Club intensely.

The twins and Tamaki didn't even try to keep eye contact. They only shifted guiltily. Kyouya and Mori held their gazes unflinchingly, though both shouldered similar feelings of shame.

"Woah, woah, woah, guys!" Haruhi called from her couch. The Host Club breathed a collective sigh of relief before realizing none of her former classmates had turned away from the stare down. "Guys!" She waited until they were at least looking at her. "Would you calm down?! I don't need you guys starting an all-out brawling match in here. Besides, the vase? That's all over and done with. I paid back the eight mil and we've moved on. Now can _we_ please move on and get back to enjoying ourselves? I've missed you all and I don't want this to end on such a bad note. Alright?"

Begrudgingly, the line of E-class guards dispersed back into their own groups of conversations. There was still a tension on the surface but at least her old friends weren't about to rip the throats of her new friends. She sighed heavily. This was exactly one of the reasons she had been afraid of the two groups meeting. She knew once they'd gotten together, her former classmates would have some words for her new friends. It wasn't like she hadn't thought about all of that before, how Tamaki should have paid instead of her, but bottom line, she was the one who failed to catch the falling vase. She sighed again, and took some of her pain medication.

"Hey, Nagisa," she called out to her blue haired friend. He was in front of her in moments.

"Yeah?" She patted the seat next to her and he sat down. Irina left the two to their devices and went to chat with some of the other girls. Karma saw the two and made his way over.

"How do you feel about the new task from Karasama?" She asked quietly. Nagisa's eyes widened and he quickly looked around to make sure no one was within earshot.

"Haruhi, is this really the time or place to talk about that? I mean, we are pretty surrounded. Anyone could overhear us." She smiled and chuckled a little as if he had just told a joke.

"That's why we talk normally and not as if we're planning anything. Come on, you know as long as you don't act suspicious, you won't be suspicious. Besides, how else are we going to discuss it together? I thought I'd have to video chat you two to keep each other updated."

"Yeah, I guess you're right, as always." He nudged her shoulder with his. Karma sat down on his other side.

"Talking about the new job?" He asked, casually.

" **Yeah,** " they answered.

"I don't know. I mean, after Koro-sensei…I mean after he…after we…I was looking forward to not picking up my blade anymore. I just don't know if I can do it again." He looked down at his knees, clenching his fists tightly. A small, warm, gauze-wrapped hand covered one of his and a larger hand was placed on his other shoulder. Haruhi's gentle voice broke through the clouds in his mind.

"You won't have to, 'Gisa." She hugged him from the side, comfortingly. "I'll do it this time if you don't want to. But I can't do this without you." She looked at her two friends, so opposite of each other yet so close. "I need both of you if I'm going to get this done." Karma smirked softly.

"As if we'd let you go in alone, right Nagisa?"

He sniffed and gave a small smile, returning her hug. "Right."

"HARUHIIIII, Don't go hugging on other boys like that! You should only ever hug your daddy. Do you understand that, young lady?!" Tamaki managed to slip past Mori in his exuberant excitement and grabbed onto her shoulders, shaking her until the poor girl looked no different than a bobblehead. She wanted to shove him off but all she could do was grip her agitated side in agony.

Suddenly he released her. When she looked up, she found him struggling against the grip of Itona who had him in a lock hold. Kanzaki, all sweet and soft disposition behind, stood in front of her while Karma and Nagisa were trying to lay her on the couch to ease her pain.

"Attack her like that or call her 'daughter' again and I'll leave you without the means to make one!" Mori walked up and stood beside the fiery black-haired girl, glaring at Tamaki, backing up her statement. She gave him a small smile which sent a familiar swooping sensation into his stomach. He would have to ponder that later.

"Itona…let him…let him go." Haruhi panted. The boy threw one last dirty look at his captured victim before dropping him unceremoniously on the floor and glowered as Tamaki scurried to a corner. "Yukiko, calm…down please. He…does this all…all the time. I think…it's habit…or…something by now." Nagisa propped her up on a couple of pillows to ease the pressure of lying flat and she muttered a quiet 'thanks'.

"Haruhi, perhaps it would be wise to take one of your pain relievers? After all this is what they're for." Kyouya knelt beside her, attempting to inspect her as best as he dared.

"No…can do…senpai. Just took one…a few…minutes ago."

"Hmm. In that case, I'll phone a doctor. Mori-senpai, if you would carry her to her room?"

"No…need. Terasaka?" He nodded and knocking Kyouya out of the way, knelt by her head, allowing her to place her arms around his neck. Grabbing her waist and pulling it towards him carefully, he slid one hand around her thighs and supported her back with the other arm.

"Ready?" He asked quietly, their noses almost touching. She nodded, her eyes full of confidence and comfort. It wasn't that she didn't trust Mori, she trusted him with her life. But she knew how he would have carried her and that would have made her pain a lot worse.

"Just like the pool," she replied smiling. He stood slowly, her legs sticking out behind him on one side, her torso against him where she could relax, her arms around his neck, and her back supported against him. She was secure, stable, and in the least amount of pain possible.

He looked at the Host Club to point him the way. The twins shrugged at this bizarre way of carrying the hostess and lead the way. Terasaka followed with the other former E-class mates closely behind him and the rest of the Host Club bringing up the rear.


	21. The Twins' Invitation

A/N: So sorry about the long wait, you guys. Between getting laid off from my job (the way they did it killed my self-esteem and confidence) and the subsequent depression, I haven't had much of a creative streak lately. I know this is a short chapter but that's mostly because I couldn't figure out where the break should be. The next chapter and the one after that will be more substantial. Thank you to everyone who has been patient with me, who has left reviews that I desperately needed to hear at the time. It helped me gain back some of the confidence I lost and I greatly appreciate that.

* * *

The Twins' Invitation

When he deposited her on her bed, all her assassin friends clambered onto it, forcing her Host Club boys to find other spots around the room and leaving them more than a little disgruntled.

"You okay, Haru?" Karma asked, worried. She smiled gently at him, though wincing when she tried to sit up. He was quick to assist and Nakamura placed some pillows behind her.

"Guys, I'll be fine. We've been through worse." She was even breathing a lot easier. Looking around the room, she couldn't help but smiling though. They were her closest friends. And they were all worried about her, wanting to help but not knowing how. Taking pity on some of them, she started directing requests, just to give them something to do, almost like she was strategizing again.

"If it helps, Hika, Kao, I could use some water, if you don't mind. Professor Bitch, would you mind telling Karasama we're a go? He'll know what it means. Kyouya-senpai, if you could rebandage my ear, I'd be grateful. I think I felt it loosen on the way up the stairs and it's kind of hard to do it myself with this," she indicated her wrapped wrist. "Kayano, could you pull my hair back so he can check it out?"

Each of them set about their tasks with a sigh of relief. That was exactly what they needed before the doctor arrived. As Kyouya's fingers ghosted over her ear and around that side of her neck, she sipped on her water and watched.

Kanzaki had moved to look out the window at the beach below and Mori had come to stand beside her instead of guarding Haruhi. Interesting, considering he had been her guard all day. Perhaps he felt guilty for allowing Tamaki to slip past him, maybe her denying his help made him feel worse. But the way he stared at her friend out of the corner of his eye told a different story.

The twins were showing Itona a new game they had been working on while he gave them some advice on hardware. Terasaka and Karma were close by, keeping their eyes on her and making sure nothing else happened. Irina stood in a corner, talking quietly on her phone, she seemed distressed and more subdued than before. Haruhi guessed Karasama was either telling her their target or keeping her in the dark. Nakamura was talking with Kayano, something that made them both snicker and glance at her before they noticed she was watching. When she raised an eyebrow at them, they only snickered more. She decided she didn't want to know. She assumed Okuda was still downstairs trying to revive Tamaki.

"Done." Kyouya interrupted her musings, "you were correct. The bandage had slipped."

"Thanks, senpai." She gave him a gentle smile before turning to the rest. "Sorry you guys probably aren't having much fun. I wish we could have met again under better circumstances." She gestured to her injured body, annoyed. She had been looking forward to maybe hanging out with her old friends again if she could. She'd missed them. But, of course, the moment she's incapacitated is when they all come around.

"Are you kidding?! I haven't had this much fun all year!" Terasaka stated from the foot of her bed.

"Same here, Haruhi. I've missed you. I've missed this," said Kanzaki from the window.

"I think we all have," continued Itona quietly. "I don't know about the rest of you but I'm the only one from our class at my high school. It has a great technology program, don't get me wrong, but everything else has been pretty boring."

"Well, I can't say the same there," Haruhi said, laying her eyes on each of her Host Club boys and ending with Tamaki who just walked in supported by Okuda and Honey who followed them. "But I've missed you guys so much. I've wanted to hang out so often this year but between studying and then the Host Club, I just haven't been able to meet up with you all. I hate having to turn down the invites but-"

"Don't worry about it, Haru, we understand. Not all of us can meet up at the same time. We all have our own stuff now. Hell, maybe a third of our class is even here now. Yeah it would have been fun to kick Terasaka's ass again but it's just not meant to happen this time." She smiled at Karma. He was always the best at making her feel better.

"Hey watch it, pretty boy. I may not win but I'll sure as hell give you a run for your money." Terasaka growled, causing Haruhi to giggle. Their antics never changed.

"It has been fun getting to know Haru-chan's friends." Honey said, sitting on the edge of her bed.

"You know, we've got two more days of vacation and plenty of rooms," Kaoru started.

"Does anyone want to stick around and hang out longer?" Hikaru finished. Haruhi's eyes widened as she gasped. Did they really just make that offer? The twins everyone had said were so shut off from the rest of the world…just opened their home up to people they had only met that day?

She looked around the room at the other Hosts. Apparently, she was not the only one caught by surprise. Honey's eyes and grin were as wide as she'd ever seen them. Tamaki looked sincerely proud. Kyouya, who had moved over to the balcony doors, glanced up at them from his phone. Even Mori was giving them both a small smile of approval. The twins noticed the looks they were given and simply shrugged like it was no big deal.

"Tempting, but I'm gonna pass. I need to get back to the office and talk to Tadaomi. He's got this new assignment that I'm not so thrilled about." Irina laid her eyes on Karma, Nagisa, and Haruhi before walking out the door. Just before she passed through, she turned her head. "It was nice to see you again, Haruhi. I'm glad you're doing well."

"It was nice to see you too, Miss Irina." The blonde closed her eyes and smiled shyly before leaving the group.

"Well, you know I'll take you up on that offer," Karma smirked.

" **Yeah, we figured.** " The twins chuckled.

"I'll stay." Itona said.

"I'm in. I'll even sleep in Haruhi's room if she's okay with that."

"Thanks, Yukiko, I'd love that." Haruhi replied, beaming.

"Count me in, too. I've missed our quality girl time," Nakamura winked.

"Oooh, girl time? I'm so there!" Kayano fist pumped.

"I'll join too if that's okay, but I can only stay tonight. I'll have to go home tomorrow," Okuda said, softly.

"Let me ask my mom real quick." Nagisa jumped on his phone.

"Sounds awesome! I'm stayin'." Terasaka grinned. "No gettin' out of it now Karma, as soon as Haruhi's checked out, it's gonna be you an' me deckin' it out on the beach."

"Where is that doctor anyway, Kyouya-senpai?" Kaoru asked.

"It looked like the boss hurt Haruhi pretty bad." Hikaru continued. They both leered at Tamaki who paled.

"I'll call again. He should have been here by now. Of course, we wouldn't need him at all if our illustrious leader could control himself." Kyouya sneered.

"Mommy?" The second year squeaked.

"You hurt Haru-chan?" Honey asked with false innocence.

"We-well, not exactly…" Tamaki quailed.

"Glomped." Mori grunted.

"Y-you too, Mori-senpai?" He nodded.

"Eeep!"

"Come on you guys, knock it off." Haruhi rolled her eyes before smirking. "Besides, it's not as if this is anything new. Let's face it, he can't keep his hands off me." As Tamaki fell to the floor soulless, the twins and Karma fell laughing. The girls all giggled and Terasaka and Itona laughed but at least remained upright. The former probably because he was still sitting on her bed.

"Perhaps we should designate you the new 'little devil' type." Kyouya mused, snickering. "You seem to have a knack for it."

"No way, senpai. He'd end up having a heart attack if I started acting like the twins. Besides, my guests come to me for conversation, not some silly act. If I suddenly turned into a 'little devil', I'd lose guests and that would affect the bottom line." That sobered the twins up and they surrounded her.

"What's this?" Hikaru asked.

"I don't know, brother. But it sounds as if," Kaoru continued, leaning closer.

" **Haruhi's thinking like Kyouya-senpai.** "

"So what? I've picked up habits from all of you. It happens when you spend enough time around here."

" **Whatever you say, Shadow Princess."** They smirked as they walked back towards Itona, leaving Haruhi glaring. A knock at the door brought their attention to a nervous-looking maid.

"Excuse me, young masters, but there is a doctor here to see Mistress Haruhi."

"Send him up," Kyouya said, waving his hand in her direction, not even looking at her. "Everyone, let us vacate the room before Haruhi has the urge to retaliate." She stuck her tongue out at his back as he herded the group out the door.

"I saw that." He chuckled inwardly as he listened to her grumbling and closed the door. In truth, he was quite pleased by the nickname. ' _Shadow princess, hmm? Now that, I could get used to hearing._ '


	22. Hosting Assasins

Hosting Assasins

After about a half hour of examination, the doctor came back out and explained that there had been inflammation but nothing had been rebroken. He went on to say that he had given Haruhi an anti-inflammatory that would, in effect, knock her out for a few hours allowing the medication to take down the swelling. He strongly cautioned against all rough-housing and ended the visit with the order to readmit her should they notice anything wrong. While Haruhi slept off the medication, the twins got everyone settled into rooms and the staff updated on the increased number of guests. It was while everyone was out on the beach that the brunette woke up and texted her friend to retrieve her. Terasaka was just carrying Haruhi out to the rest of the group when the twins could no longer sate their curiosity.

"Hey, Terasaka, why is it," Kaoru started.

"You carry her that way?" Hikaru finished.

He shrugged. "Keeps her leg from hitting anything and it keeps her back straight so there's not a lot of pressure on her side." They all looked at him curiously. "What?" He asked, defensively.

"Nothing," Tamaki replied. "It's just any of us would have carried her bridal-style. How did you know to carry her like that?"

"It's just something I picked up once at the pool in 3rd year." He said, gently placing the girl in an empty lounge chair next to her injured senpai. She muttered a quiet 'thanks'.

"Wait, the only time we were at a pool was when…" Okuda tapered off as the realization hit her. Terasaka started shuffling his feet a bit.

"When what, Oku-chan?" Honey asked, innocently. The other Hosts looked at him sharply. The more innocent he acted, the more carefully he had to be watched.

"When the natural dam broke and most of us were swept off a cliff into the river below," Haruhi covered, not really wanting to go into the story. However, three of the hosts knew the specifics of that situation and she'd have to give them some without giving anything away to the rest. No one but Karma knew she had told any of them. "I didn't go off the cliff but the current threw me into a rock. Hard. I had the wind knocked out of me and couldn't push against the current. Terasaka jumped in and pulled me out. That's how he swam with me."

Everyone stared at him with a newfound respect. Hosts and assassins alike were gazing at him. It seemed, again, only Karma knew that. But then, he was the only one left at the top of the cliff. She was probably the only one who knew that was the real reason Karama had so quickly accepted Terasaka's help.

He rubbed at the back of his neck. "Yeah, so what? It was no big deal."

"Hika, Kao," Haruhi called, distracting some attention away from her uncomfortable friend. He threw her a grateful look and walked towards Itona and Kanzaki. The others started forming their own conversations again as the twins sauntered over to their injured best friend.

" **Yeah**?"

"You know, with this cast and my broken ribs, it'll be difficult to get dressed in clothes that are weather appropriate. Sure, my uniform is loose enough but most of my other clothes are just too snug to slip over the cast or it would take too much bending which would not be good for my side. Do you two think you could help me out?"

They looked at her like she had just given them the most precious gift possible. Haruhi, their Haruhi, was actually _asking them_ to make clothes for _her_. It was a dream come true! She'll have to wear the cast for 4 weeks which meant the first half of the winter season. They'd go ahead and make her enough clothes for the whole season anyway but they'd make sure to keep her limitations in mind. Visions of cowl neck sweaters and high-waisted bell-bottomed jeans danced in their minds as huge, almost maniacal grins spread across their faces.

"Takashi, should we be worried?" Honey leaned as far from the twins as he could get. He and Mori had been conversing with Nagisa when he noticed the twins hovering over Haruhi, an evil-looking smile distorting their features. Mori shot a questioning glance to the girl who merely rolled her eyes and snapped her fingers in front of their faces.

"Guys," _snap snap._ "Guys!" _snap snap snap._ When she finally had their attention, she just shook her head. "There we go. Did you have fun in la la land? Hikaru, you're drooling a bit." She laughed as the older twin furiously wiped at his face and his brother looked down, sheepishly. "So, I take it, you'll do it?" They both nodded rapidly and left to start discussing designs, colors, fabrics. Haruhi looked around to see that some of her friends had paired off to spar and sighed. It was always the same. Her friends loved to fight each other.

"Kyouya-senpai, you should probably have a first aid kit on hand out here. Who knows how badly this is going to end," she giggled. Oh, how she missed this. This is what felt like home to her. Hearing the cries and shouts of her friends as they dodged blows and attacked each other was music to her ears. Haruhi watched them with a gentle smile on her face, cheering when one of them landed a well-placed hit, laughing at the taunts they came up with. Her only regret was not being able to join them.

"I wanna fight Haru-chan's friends too!" Honey whined from his seat next to her.

"No." Mori understood how his cousin felt. These first years were excellent fighters and even he had to resist the urge to test their skills himself.

Haruhi could see the gleam in her senpai's eyes and as Nakamura shoved Okuda into the sand, she called out, "Hey Rio, I think Mori-senpai wants to spar with you." She turned back to see him shaking his head wildly. He couldn't leave his charges unprotected and he didn't want to hurt any of her friends.

"I think Takashi's a little worried, Haru-chan." Honey giggled.

"Aww, don't be, senpai. We're fine here and it's obvious you're itching to get out there. So go have fun!" She beamed at him. Mori hung his head in defeat before determination settled in. Walking up to Nakamura, he was acutely aware of their height difference and wondered how much he would have to hold back. Facing the confident-looking blonde girl, he readied himself in a fighting stance.

He waited for her to make the first move, knowing he wouldn't try to stop her. The way she regarded him with amusement was disorienting. No one outside his family had ever challenged him like that and he was used to his opponents looking upon him in trepidation. Knowing she was a trained assassin, he knew he could expect some underhanded tricks rather than an honest, rule-based fight so he mentally released his attachment to the rules he grew up with and…' _what the-_ '

He'd only closed his eyes for a moment but she was behind him with her foot solidly connecting to his back. He spun as he fell to the ground and kicked up. She flipped away and he was back on his feet in moments. ' _Attacking an enemy with their eyes closed, cheap shot._ ' She stood in front of him appearing as relaxed as the twins but her blue eyes were iced over. _'She and Karma are similar in that regard at least._ ' He would not underestimate any of Haruhi's E-class friends, especially when they seemed so casual.

Nakamura lunged, closing the gap between them quicker than he'd expected. He braced himself for her hit, wanting to see how strong she was physically before striking back. But instead of the straightforward attack he was used to, she dove to trip him. He jumped up but her foot was higher than he'd anticipated and she managed to wrap her ankle around his foot, bringing him down forcefully onto his front.

"Is this all the great Morinozuka Takashi has to offer. I must say, I'm disappointed. I expected more of a fight from the world champion," she taunted playfully.

He got to his feet, ready for more. Though he didn't show it, Mori was starting to feel humiliated. He knew she was a skilled fighter in methods he'd never studied, but damn it he was a world renowned martial artist and here she was swinging him around like a rag doll. This time, he took the initiative of the fight, grabbing for her. Now that he'd seen how fast she was, he knew he'd have to be more fluid in his movements rather than the solid wall he was used to being.

She leapt into the air to dodge his attack, fully intending to bring her foot into his face but Mori caught her ankle and swung her in a circle before sending her flying. Fortunately, he'd had enough sense of his surroundings that he avoided throwing the girl into another pair of sparring partners. She landed like a cat, spraying the sand around her before lunging for him again. She ducked again, preparing to trip him so Mori jumped straight into the air, but it had been a feint.

Using her low position to gain more altitude, she shot up from the ground. She couldn't surpass his height but that wasn't her intention. Nakamura punched at him, which he easily blocked, but her second blade had been the sharp kick to the stomach that Mori hadn't seen coming. She'd timed it so that her leg was moving even before he opened himself up for it by blocking her fist. It knocked the wind out of him so that he landed coughing on all fours and she touched down gracefully balanced.

"Good match," she said, extending a hand. He accepted the help and she brought him to his feet.

"Likewise."

The rest of the afternoon wore on in pretty much the same way. E-class was having the time of their lives sparring with each other on the beach, Mori relished in the newfound challenge presented by the younger fighters. Kyouya sat back, taking pictures and typing away on his computer. The twins hunched over a sketch book that was quickly filling up with drawings and occasionally asking Haruhi a question about the designs. Tamaki flitted in between the groups, making sure to stay well out of harm's way when passing the impromptu training session. Honey and Haruhi talked a lot about a wide range of topics from the skills and move sets of her friends to making plans for being on bed rest together. It was nearing sundown when a maid interrupted their bubble of contentment to inform them dinner was ready. With Mori carrying Honey and Terasaka carrying Haruhi, the group made their way back inside to the dining room.

Conversation flowed amicably during their shared meal, though there was some initial animosity when Haruhi was placed between Karma and Nagisa. The reasoning that they were the two best qualified to protect her from Tamaki didn't sit well with a couple of people and the fact that Tamaki was placed between Kanzaki and Hikaru seemed to have an adverse effect on the tall blonde male as well. Kanzaki ignoring all his attentions while Hikaru was overly attentive to Tamaki created more than enough teasing to release the tension caused by placements. All was going well until desert.

"Oh, Haruhi, I forgot to ask, how's Papa Ranka?" Nagisa asked. The Hosts were stunned silent. _Papa_ Ranka?! Her E-class friends merely waited politely for her answer.

"You know, same old same old." She replied flatly.

"You mean, overbearing, eccentric, easily excitable, and drunk off his ass more often than not?" Nakamura surmised. Haruhi tapped her nose as she took a bite of food. Right on the money.

"Don't forget a tad bipolar when he doesn't get his 'darling daughter's' affection," Kayano pipped up, giggling.

"Only a tad, Kaede?" Itona put in.

"Honestly, I don't know who grows more mushrooms in my house: dad or Tamaki-senpai." That got a round of hearty laughter from everyone except the arrow-shot prince at the table. As floored as the Hosts were by her friends' apparent closeness with the Fujioka patriarch, no one could deny the comparison to the Host Club King.

"Daughter, how could you be so mean to your daddy?" Tamaki whined. "I know I raised you better than that!"

"Senpai, if you actually had anything to do with my upbringing, I can guarantee you I would have run away from home," Haruhi stated, deadpanning. She didn't even want to _think_ about that alternate universe.

"Mommy, control our wayward daughter! I swear she gets her attitude from your side of the family," he ended grumbling. This caused even more giggling and snickers from around the table as Kyouya delicately wiped at his mouth before turning to his…best friend.

"Tamaki," the black-haired second year started, slowly, "How old are we?"

"Seventeen?" He didn't really know where this line of questioning was going.

"Very good. And how old is Haruhi?"

"Fifteen?"

"Excellent. Now, here's the tricky part. If Haruhi is less than two years younger than both of us, and we are both male, how would it be possible for her to be our daughter?" Kyouya knew he had to get the boy to spell it out slowly as much as he knew this wasn't the last time the subject would be brought up. As it was, Tamaki's concentrated face while trying to work out the scenario looked painful and constipated.

After a few minutes of silence and a couple of covertly taken photos, he decided to end his friend's torment. "You know, if you keep making that face, sooner or later it is going to stick that way. Besides, even if your little conundrum were true, I'd be glad to have her inherit my personality because I know for a fact I could never handle two of you in my life." That was the end of Tamaki as he promptly feinted to the floor and the dining room roared with laughter.

When the merriment had finally settled down and Tamaki rejoined the conscious world, Haruhi decided to insert her own little joke. Surreptitiously typing up a short text under the table, she shot it off to Kaoru, who unfortunately had just taken a large gulp of his water when he read it. With eyes bulging out of their sockets, the younger twin turned into a glorious fountain, choking and spraying half the table with water. Every head turned to him as his brother smacked at his back, trying to clear the airways. Tears streaming from his amber eyes and laughing so hard he couldn't breathe, Kaoru turned his phone to Hikaru who, like his brother, roared with laughter at the visuals it contained.

The reactions were everything Haruhi had hoped for from her 'brothers' and she struggled to keep up the same curious look everyone else had, though her eyes sparkled with amusement and gave her away to anyone who was watching. Luckily, full attention had been focused on the howling twins.

 _Don't mommies and daddies usually kiss and make up after a fight?_

"If you're not going to tell us what is so funny, might I suggest calling it a night? It has been a long day and I'm sure our two patients would like to sleep at some point." Kyouya snapped. He really hated not knowing things and he had a nagging sensation this one involved him somehow. Ah well, if the two pranksters dared try to pull a fast one on him, they would find themselves at quite the disadvantage.

"Sorry, senpai, sorry guys,"

"It's just something our mom sent us."

" **Bed sounds good though. G'night!** " And with that, both doubles were up and out of the dining room before anyone else had a chance to move. They just _had_ to get away from the shadow king before he read their minds. Neither one doubted his ability in that department.

"Well, since our hosts have decided to abandon us, I suppose the rest of us should retire to our rooms as well." The others nodded their assent and, though they really wanted to know what had caused such wild reactions in the twins, they left it alone. So, with the remaining Hosts venturing off to their rooms, the E-class boys to a room and Haruhi and her girlfriends to her room, everybody bade each other good night and shut their respective doors.


	23. Girl Time

Girl Time

"Alright, now Haruhi," Kayano started.

"Honestly, Kaede, can you at least let me get changed and in bed before we start this?" The brunette slowly hobbled over to the dresser and retrieved a set of pajamas.

"Here, let me help." Nakamura said, gently taking the clothes from her stubborn friend.

"Me too. I'll go draw you a bath. The hot water will do wonders for your ribcage."

"Thanks, Yukiko, but I can't really take a bath with this," Haruhi gestured at her leg, "and this." She waved her gauze-wrapped hand in front of the girl's face. "Can't even get my hair wet because of my ear. Until I get these stitches out, I can't hardly do anything."

"That's the glory of leave-in shampoo!" Kayano exclaimed, pulling out a bottle from who knows where. "Now, this stuff is only meant to revitalize your hair, it's not supposed to be used for exclusive, long-term but it'll help see you through until those stitches come out or dissolve. We'll do this in the morning though." By now, the other girls had already helped Haruhi into her night clothes and she was just getting into bed.

"Comfortable?" Nakamura asked the brunette as the others surrounded her on the bed. Haruhi took a dose of her pain killers and nodded. "Good. It's gossip time. Hey Ritsu, you want in on this?"

"You bet I do," came the bubbly voice of their mobile friend from a phone that was placed in the center of the small group. "I saw that text, Haruhi."

" **What text**?!" Three of the girls shouted.

"The one she sent to Kaoru." Ritsu replied, giggling delightedly. "The text that made the twins lose it. Shall I tell you what it said?"

"All it said was ' _shouldn't mommies and daddies kiss and make up after a fight.'_ Though I must say, I was thrilled by their reactions." Haruhi grinned evilly as her friends were sent into giggle fits.

"Okay, Haruhi," Kayano started again once the laughter had settled, "after meeting these guys, you've gotta tell us. Who's your favorite host?" The other girls leaned in, stars in their eyes, hoping to hear something juicy enough to repeat to the girls who couldn't make it.

"Honestly, it kind of changes from time to time. Some of them are more tolerable than others from day-to-day but they all have their moments. I guess, if I let myself, I could fall for any of them, but I won't."

"Awww, why not?" Kanzaki pouted.

"Because it would completely mess up the dynamics of the group. Most, if not all, of them have a thing for me so I'm pretty much off-limits by group consensus. If I ever picked one over the others, believe me, chaos would ensue and nothing would ever be the same. So, it's easier when they keep their affections to a minimum and I pretend to not notice. Plus, I don't want to lead anyone on. I don't want to make someone think they have a chance with me if it's not true."

"So, what you're saying is, you'd have to find someone outside your little host club if you were to date anyone." Nakamura nodded, knowledgably. "Is there anyone else you might be interested in? Someone who knows you're a girl at your school but isn't in your club?"

Haruhi thought to herself for a moment. Didn't everyone know she was a girl now after wearing such a revealing dress during the fair? How would that change things? Would she continue hosting? Maybe host boys instead? That would bring in more profits, considering the new memberships. But would her boys even want that? It was her decision in the end, now that she was debt-free. If she walked away from the club, profits would suffer. If she stayed, they would soar. Kyouya couldn't argue with those facts even if he would want to.

"-ruhi. Earth to Haruhi." The sound of her friends' voices broke through her musings. "You okay, girl? You were staring off into space there."

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, rubbing at the back of her neck. "Just thinking about a few things. Yeah there are a couple of guys who fit that description, one who would definitely be interested. His name is Ritsu too. Kasanoda Ritsu. He's so sweet, likes to garden, loves to tend to injured animals, and is so gentle and kind, you'd never think he was yakuza. The other one is Nekozawa Umehito. I don't know if he'd be interested in me but he's the president of the Black Magic Club at school. He's photophobic, so he wears a dark cape to protect himself. He's pretty cool, all dark and mysterious, but a total teddy bear when it comes to his little sister. And being with him would give me the added bonus of constantly scaring the crap out of Tamaki-senpai." This last comment caused another round of laughter among the girls. "I'm sure I've got a picture of them on my phone if you want to see them."

"No need. I can pull their school pictures from the Ouran database." Ritsu grinned as her former classmates rolled their eyes. Of course she could. Three pictures showed up on screen and they could hear Ritsu's voice behind them. "The one on the left is the future Kasanoda Syndicate Lord, Kasanoda Ritsu, class 1D. The one on the right is the heir to the Nekozawa businesses and fortune, Nekozawa Umehito, class 3A. The top picture is him with his cape and wig and the bottom picture is him without either."

As Haruhi's friends busied themselves with gushing over how sweet Kasanoda looked and how charming and enigmatic Nekozawa seemed, she continued to ponder her dating situation. It wasn't as though she didn't know who she'd prefer to date, but her best friend wasn't an option. He had even said it'd be pointless to date if they were at two different schools. There'd be no time. Perhaps she should just cut her losses and move on from her middle school crush. A flash of her waking up in his arms crossed her mind's eye and she groaned, her cheeks heating up. How could they even plan the assassination if she kept reacting like that every time he was around?

"What's this? Haruhi, your cheeks are as red as Kasanoda's hair. Could it be you're already crushing on one of them?"

"Kaede would you calm down? It's not like that. It's not either of them I'm crushing over. Remember what I said about not leading someone on?" She might as well tell them at least a half-truth. These girls would never leave her alone otherwise.

"Who is it?" Okuda piped up.

"Manami, not you too." Haruhi whined. "Come on, guys, don't make me do this."

Kanzaki giggled. "Now you sound like Nagisa when we put that dress on him."

"Alright, that's enough. You don't have to tell us who it is if you don't want to." Nakamura said, patting Haruhi's shoulder.

"I don't?" She replied skeptically. If there was one thing she knew about these girls, it was that they always had a plan 'B'. It was in their nature after so many months of 'second blade' training.

"No. Of course, not. We'll just make someone up and tell everyone else at breakfast tomorrow." The others laughed as Nakamura cackled evilly and Haruhi grumbled about the 'trustworthiness of friends' and 'supposed to stick together'. Naturally, this just made them laugh harder.

"Ugh, you girls are incorrigible! Fine, I'll tell you but only because you've all had a thing for him too. But who it is can't leave your ears, got it?" The brunette eyed all of them, waiting for dissent. When she was satisfied with her friends' silence, she continued, "I never really got over my Karma crush, okay?"

" _Really?_ You'd still go for the psychopath?" Nakamura asked, surprised.

"Hey, he's not a psycho!" Haruhi defended. "I mean, yeah he's a bit of a sadist. But he's also extremely protective. You should have seen him after Kaede and Yukiko were dragged off by those two punks back in Kyoto. He beat the living shit out of the others who had the misfortune to stay behind. And then when we got to the warehouse, he deformed the few guarding the place. All to get to you two." She nodded at the girls in question. "And think about how hard he fought Grip, or how quickly he developed the best plan of action in order to save everybody at the pool."

"Okay, okay, we get it. He's really a good guy underneath. Calm down, Haruhi." Kanzaki snickered. "Like you said, we all had a thing for him at some point. You're just the only one he can't scare off if he tried."

"Yeah, it's fine. At one point, I thought he had a thing for me too, but then I realized it was just my chemistry skills he was in love with." Okuda said, laughing. The other girls joined her merriment. "Honestly, though, I'd be more interested in a guy like Ootori. He can hold a conversation well."

"No offense, Manami, I mean, you've grown a lot over the last year, but you're still way to timid for a guy like Kyouya-senpai. He needs someone who isn't afraid to put him back in his place when he's being a controlling ass. I can see you with Kaoru though." The purple-haired girl smiled at the brunette.

"None taken, I see your point. Rio, I saw you conversing with Ootori a lot today. What if you gave it a shot? I know you aren't afraid of any guy." She giggled.

"Nah, he's too pretentious for me. Hikaru could be a lot of fun though. If he wasn't such a perverted hot-head." Nakamura sighed.

"Yeah, that's another one that needs to be taken down a notch or two. I actually liked Honinozuka a lot. A man after my own sugar-fueled heart! Did you guys see the way he took down those cakes at dinner?! It was amazing!" Kayano had stars in her eyes by this point and the rest of the gossip group rolled their eyes at her.

"Speaking of the cousins," Haruhi interjected, glad her love life was no longer the one under scrutiny, "I happened to notice a certain Morinozuka heir keeping his eye on you, Yukiko, almost as much as he kept his eye on me and Honey-senpai." She quirked her eyebrow when her black-haired friend blushed. "Something going on?" she teased.

"He is the gentle giant you always describe him as. And I see what you mean about feeling calm around him. Honestly, I was about to rip Souh apart for hurting you like that until he walked up behind me during the party." Kanzaki smiled.

"You two would make a really cute couple if we all went to the same school." Haruhi sighed. "That's why I'm not saying anything to Karma though. Even he knows that dating while going to two different schools would be impractical and in the end, it would just fall apart." The other girls sighed along with her, not enjoying the depressing turn their gossip had taken.

"Oi! None of this downtrodden atmosphere now. We're E-class. We're used to clawing our way past unimaginable obstacles and fighting for what we want! Now who's with me?!" Nakamura's invigorating speech was able to lift the girls' spirits, if only slightly before Haruhi lost all color in her face.

" _Shit,"_ she whispered.

"What's up, Haruhi?"

"What's going on?"

"Ritsu," the brunette muttered, trying to calm her racing pulse, "did you debug the room? I do remember telling you I wouldn't put anything past the twins." There was a breadth's pause as the other girls gasped.

"Room scan complete. Analyzing data. Analysis complete. Results: 0 devices found. The room's all clear."

"Oh, thank the Gods," Haruhi exclaimed, flopping back on her pillows as carelessly as her injuries would allow. "That could have been a disaster."

"Yeah, no kidding," Kayano said, giggling, "imagine if your Host boys found out you wanted to date and it wasn't one of them!"

"Please stop, you're scaring me!" She replied, covering her face with her hands. "I don't even want to think about it!" The other girls only laughed at her potential misery. "I'm glad _you_ think it's funny." She stuck her tongue out, making them laugh more. "Whatever, I'm tired. Can we go to bed now? It's been a long day." There were murmurs of assent intermingled with more tittering snorts as the others crawled into her bed with her, forming some unidentifiable mound of limbs and long hair.

As Haruhi drifted off to sleep, surrounded by her closest friends, she couldn't help but feel more relaxed, more like herself than she had all year. She'd spent so long in the company of overprotective, nosy hosts, playing the role of male host, and fending off affections that she forgot what it felt like to let loose. She'd forgotten what it was like to just…talk about whatever. It felt liberating.


	24. Who Is This New Haruhi!

A/N: Guys, I am so so sorry about the long delay. My wedding took some time to recover from, my new job took some time to adjust to, my internet took some time to reconnect (long story and a few longer phone calls there), and on top of all that, I had a bad case of the block. I finally got back into writing last week and I...kinda haven't stopped since. Which is good news for you readers. All I can add is, thank you for being patient with me and thank you for the encouraging reviews. Sometimes it may take a bit between chapters (as much as I hate it when it does) but I will not give up on this story. So please don't give up on me.

* * *

Who Is This New Haruhi?!

What felt like mere hours later, the girl was pulled from the comfort of sleep by the _click click_ of a camera phone. Even as she struggled to regain some semblance of peaceful slumber, Haruhi found it impossible to ignore several things around her: that damn camera phone (whoever was taking pictures was about to meet the 3rd demon), the snickering and guffaws that seemed to be increasing in volume, and the shifting that she felt surrounding her.

"Why is it that you idiots have been at my door or in my room, waking me up, for half of this vacation?" She grumbled, struggling to open her eyes and get her limbs moving for the day.

" **Dunno. Why do you look so comfy in the middle of this girl pile?** " The twins snickered.

She finally managed to will her eyes open and immediately shut them tight against the sun's bright rays. Re-opening them, more slowly this time, she glared towards her balcony door and glanced around. The twins were right. She was surrounded by her friends on all sides, though mercifully, none of them had slept on her wounded leg or wrist. Nakamura had cozied up to her non-injured side with her head on Haruhi's shoulder, Okuda was laying across the foot of the bed, Kayano was curled into a ball above her head like a little cat, and Kanzaki was hugging her non-injured leg. When they did this and how they avoided her injuries, the brunette would never know. However, each of the girls was now stirring and stretching in the process of waking up.

"Yeah, Haru, what gives? It's almost like you're their pimp or something."

"WHAT?! HOW DARE YOU ACCUSE MY SWEET LITTLE HARUHI OF SUCH PERVERSION, YOU DEGENERATE! Haruhi, my precious girl, tell him you're not like that. Tell this immoral disgrace you're a virtuous girl."

"How do you know I'm not, senpai?" Tamaki's yelling so shortly after waking her up did not put him in her good graces for the day. Haruhi took great satisfaction in hearing the sharp gasp, so signature of the second year. She felt her head lifted and glanced up to see Kayano setting it into her lap before stroking her hair. The brunette then felt Nakamura snuggle even closer as she peeked at the boys through her blonde hair and stroked Haruhi's cheek before speaking.

"What do you say, mistress? What will you have us do first?" Following her statement was the standard thud of Tamaki falling to the ground and the sputtering of Hikaru and Kaoru. Haruhi looked at the remaining boys: Karma, Terasaka, and Itona who were just standing around, trying not to laugh. She rolled her eyes before a cool, collected voice from the doorway made her facepalm.

"Well isn't this an interesting turn of events. Certainly not something I expected to see after being woken up, once again, by our illustrious king who can't keep his mouth closed." The twins regained control and skipped over to the Shadow King,

"Looks like we finally know why," Hikaru started.

"Haruhi is so good with the ladies." Kaoru continued.

"Yes, I dare say you two are right this time. What is it they say?" Kyouya smirked, "Sisters before misters?" This set the Hitachiins howling with laughter, which stopped abruptly as soon as they heard Haruhi's response.

"Wouldn't you like to know." The brunette winked, still surrounded by her friends (though thankfully they were sitting up now and watching with growing interest). "What do you say, senpai? Want to come over here and play with my kittens? I'd better warn you, they have claws."

"As tempting as that offer may sound, Haruhi, I do believe I will pass. Catch me again tomorrow." Kyouya would never admit it to anyone but despite his cool demeaner, Haruhi was really throwing him off kilter. He had never known her to be this playful little vixen before and he really didn't quite know how to handle it yet. It was not only frustrating him to no end, but exciting him as well. She was a forever-evolving puzzle that he was still determined to master.

"Aw phoo. Alright then, we'll meet you boys at breakfast in a bit." One by one, they filed out. First the confused-but-amused twins, then Kyouya, then the three E-class boys shaking their heads at the girls' antics. Terasaka dragged Tamaki out last and Itona shut the door behind them. As soon as the latch clicked into place, none of the girls could contain their laughter any longer and the room rang with the hilarity each was overwhelmed with. "Did you _see_ the twins faces after Rio stroked my cheek?! I haven't had this much fun all year!" Haruhi managed to gasp out.

"I tho-thought Tamaki-i-i was going to have a-a heart attack!" Kayano wheezed. "Haru-hi, that was brilliant!"

"Ritsu, _please_ tell me you recorded that!" Nakamura giggled.

"You bet I did! There's no way I was going to miss this! Had it recording from Itona's phone the whole time."

"Marvelous! I will enjoy watching that again." Okuda chortled.

"Sorry to cut in on the merriment, but Haruhi? Do you have anything besides these form-fitting clothes? I don't think those are going to feel very pleasant over your battered ribs." Kanzaki called from the closet.

"I don't know. I didn't pack my bags. Hikaru and Kaoru always make my clothes for trips whether I want them to or not. I just stopped arguing with them after a while. But I think there's a swimsuit cover-up still in the bathroom. I don't mind wearing that and a swim top." She replied, reaching for her medication and taking her morning dose. The others sobered up and started attending to their morning routines while Kanzaki helped Haruhi with hers. Soon enough, all were dressed and presentable. Ritsu had messaged Terasaka who was granted entry upon his knocking.

"I assume I'm here to play carriage again?" He asked, snickering.

"You know I like the way you hold me, Terasaka," Haruhi simpered. He laughed.

"Your spoiled, rich boys may fall for that act, Plain Sight, but you're not getting' me. The rest of the guys already saw that video on Itona's phone by the way. Good stuff!"

The girls snickered. "We do aim to please." Haruhi retorted. Terasaka leaned down for the injured girl to grab on to.

"What on earth are you going to do when I'm not around to carry you anymore?" He muttered into her good ear.

"Obviously pine away for your big, strong, manly arms." She countered.

"Glad to see your sarcasm is still intact." He replied, rolling his eyes.

"Oh dear, and I tried so hard to hide it."

"Haruhi, honestly, if I didn't know any better, I'd swear you two were siblings." Kayano giggled.

The group reached the dining hall after a few more back-and-forths, only to find that everyone else had already beaten them. Terasaka placed her beside the Morinozuka heir and took the seat on her other side.

"Haruhi, why don't you come over here and sit with daddy? You've been playing with your friends all night. You need some time with your daddy now." Tamaki patted the seat next to him, which was subsequently taken by Nakamura.

"Two reasons, actually," Haruhi responded, calmly tucking into her plate. "One, I can't move easily, as evidenced by Terasaka bringing me in here. Two, I like where I'm sitting. I'm well protected against your attacks, like the one from yesterday shortly after Honey-senpai and I returned from the hospital." Tamaki stiffened and paled, doing nothing more than muttering softly and incoherently. "That ought to hold him for a while," she murmured so that only those closest to her could hear and pretended not to notice their amusement.

"So Kyouya-senpai," Haruhi broke the silence after a few minutes, "am I going to be hosting boys now that everyone knows I'm a girl? I can't imagine I'll have too many loyal customers anymore."

The twins started sputtering, Tamaki choked on his juice, Mori appeared interested but she could see his eyes narrow minutely. Honey acted like he didn't have a care in the world as he kept enjoying his breakfast but everyone paying attention knew he was listening intently. The E-class members were on the edge of their seats, knowing full well they were about to see a show.

"You can't do that! Daddy won't allow those mean, nasty boys anywhere near his beloved daughter! You will simply sit beside me during club time."

"Not even in your dreams, senpai. I'd drop out of school and follow my _real_ dad's footprints before that would ever come to pass." An arrow pierced through the blond second-year as he wobbled to the ground.

"Shot down from the inside out," Hikaru said laughing. "In all seriousness though, Tono does have a point. What if one of them did try something with you?"

"Yeah, it's not as if you can defend yourself in your current condition." Kaoru continued, while still chuckling at Tamaki's latest demise.

"In the end, Haruhi, it is your choice." Kyouya interjected. "Though they do bring up valid points. There are times when our clients get too excited and become handsy. It's easy enough to dissuade or distract them but you would face quite a different number of obstacles."

"What if she hosted with one of you?" Karma suggested. "She could host with Mori under the guise of him caring for both his injured friend and his cousin."

"No good," Nakamura replied. "The girls they host, and the guys too, would think she was dating one of them which isn't the case."

"They're going to think she's dating _someone_ in the club anyway with how close she is to the hosts," Kayano countered. "And once it finally gets around that she's not, jealousy will set in if it hasn't already. She'll become a target of pettiness. Let's be honest, jealous girls can get vicious." The rest of the girls around the table nodded seriously in agreement.

"No one's going to believe you're just friends with the most popular guys in school," Nagisa started, working it out in his head. "So the question becomes: how do you stay protected from males _and_ females who are after you for different reasons. The other hosts can't follow you everywhere at all times. There's a chance someone dedicated enough would even follow you home. Best case scenario no one will try anything because they'll be too afraid of the famous Morinozuka skill or the infamous Ootori vengeance. But we all know 'best case' is never the case." There was a moment of melancholy that passed between the E-class friends before each shook it off and returned to the problem at hand.

"Dealing with the guys during host club should be easy enough." Haruhi said. "I can just tell them that all of us make it a point not to date clients. Everyone knows it's bad practice to mix business with pleasure. No one is dumb enough to try something in the clubroom. Outside of school is a different matter. I suppose I could have Ritsu post a couple of his people around my apartment. They know how to blend in and I'm sure he'd be happy to help me out until everything settled. The girls though, are trickier to escape from in school. I have all my classes with the twins who would love to act as bodyguards but what if I got followed into the bathroom? There are no cameras, when I go back in two weeks I will still be too injured to defend myself, I'd make a prime target for a jealous girl."

"Ritsu?" Itona repeated.

"Kasanoda Ritsu. Remember?" Okuda replied.

"Oh right. The yakuza heir. Yeah he would do that. For you." He teased. Haruhi stuck her tongue out in his direction.

"Don't you have any female friends who would go to the restroom with you?" Kanzaki asked. Haruhi thought about it for a moment. Then groaned loudly.

"Yes. One. Renge." This caused some laughter around the table as her E-class friends lamented her fate.

"Ooh I do not want to be in your shoes right now, short-stack." Terasaka ruffled her hair.

"Like you have the brains to fill my shoes, cow." Haruhi jested back, swiping his hand away with her good arm.

"Oh so you've got jokes now? How about I teach you some more?" He retorted.

"I await your tutelage impatiently, oh great master of the hay." She taunted amidst the growing laughter of her assassin friends. "Don't worry guys. It's just an inside joke." She said to her confused host friends.

"In any event," Kyouya spoke up, "it seems as though you and your friends have solved all your problems and thought of contingencies should something not go according to plan."

He wouldn't admit it to anyone but watching the group's dynamic as they started planning was fascinating to him and their progression had left him impressed. Haruhi and her E-class friends became so focused they seemed to have almost forgotten there were other people in the room. They worked together to come up with plans and alternatives so that no stone was left unturned and they still joked with each other at the same time. They were efficient, they were thorough, they were a force to be reckoned with and he suddenly understood how they had accomplished so much. Kyouya was enraptured with how Haruhi seemed to outshine anything he had ever seen of her and how much passion blazed in her eyes as she worked with her friends. Little did he know, his friends were thinking along the same lines.

The twins, as indignant as they were about being ignored in the beginning, couldn't help but be awestruck by how well Haruhi and her friends worked together. It was like a well-oiled machine. And yet, the group never lost the fun. If anything, it looked as though they had more fun planning together than fighting together. They looked at each other and felt like they could learn a thing or two about being productive while still having fun.

Mori and Honey both watched Haruhi shine among her former classmates as the group buckled down to help her out. The cousins could see the passion and fire that lit up her face as she worked with her friends to come up with solutions that placated every possible scenario. E-class was as intellectually skilled as they were physically. And as the pair of cousins continued to observe the proceedings, they were astonished to see how easily she fit into this group and how quickly they figured things out. In a matter of minutes they'd completed the task. They were brilliant individually but put the group together and heavens help whoever they had their sights set on.

Tamaki could only sit and watch. He was spellbound. This Haruhi was not the same girl he'd come to know and love. Yes, he knew he loved her. Though everyone else in the club thought him clueless, he was French. The French always know what love is. He knew he loved her and he also knew she didn't feel the same way. He wasn't stupid. In fact, he was second in his class, just points behind his best friend. But the girl he loved was not the girl sitting between her middle school friend and his senpai. It was not the girl he had born witness to over the past week. This was a whole different person and it confused him greatly. Where was the adorable, innocent, intelligent commoner he had known? He just couldn't figure out what changed, though he had tried. Was this the real Haruhi? Was the one he had known merely a guise because of the debt?

"You all have discussed what's going to happen when _you_ go back in two weeks, but what about when _we_ go back on Monday and when Honey-senpai goes back next week?" Kaoru asked. "We're going to be hounded by everyone."

"All I ask is that you tell everyone who asks the truth." Haruhi replied seriously, eying each host steadily. "Tell them that I was under a debt for a broken vase I could only pay off by working as a member of the club. Tell them that most of you mistook me for a boy which is why I was given a male uniform and set to work the debt off faster as a host. I never intended to hide anything but that was the lot I was given and so I did what I could with what I had. That's the only thing I want."

"Easily done." Kyouya answered. "Gentlemen, her suggestions are my orders. Everyone else, if you are finished with breakfast, might I suggest returning to the beach? The weather is still unseasonably warm and it would be a shame to waste it."

"I hope you guys have fun, but I'm gonna have to go." Okuda said, regretfully. "My dad only said I can stay through breakfast and then I have to be home."

"Aww but we were having so much fun!" Nakamura lamented.

"Yeah, it was nice having you around again, Poison Specs." Karma winked.

"I know," she pouted, making her hugging rounds, "but rules are rules and if I'm not home when dad says to be he gets…very mad." She shuddered and her E-class friends looked on in sympathy. "But I'll come and see you next week when you're back home. It'll be nice to see Papa Ranka again."

"I feel you there," Nagisa agreed. "I miss Papa Ranka. I'd go back to your place with you tomorrow if I could, but my mom only said I could stay until lunchtime."

"You too, 'Gisa?" Haruhi asked.

"'Fraid so. But I'm with Okuda. We'll totally visit after school while you're on bedrest."

"You'd better. I'm going to be bored out of my mind if I don't see anybody. Well, I'm gonna miss you, Manami. Don't be a stranger anymore, okay?" She replied as her purple-haired friend reached her for a hug last.

"How are you getting home, Oku-chan?" Honey asked.

"I was just gonna walk to the station and catch a train from there."

"Nonsense! I can't stand by and let a young lady such as yourself walk alone to the train station! I'll inform my driver at once and you shall be carted away amongst the very best in luxury comforts!" Tamaki ranted, causing E-class to sweatdrop.

"No thanks, Souh. I promise, that's not necessary." She chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Trust me, Manami. Just accept the offer. I've found it's easier that way than by fighting him." Haruhi muttered as she facepalmed.

"Alright, well thank you. I appreciate it. It was nice meeting everyone. Thank you, Hitachiins, for your generous hospitality." She sighed. "I guess this is goodbye."

"Never." Terasaka said, unusually subdued. "It will never be goodbye, but rather, see you again soon."

"I think you may be right about that. Thanks. I needed to hear it." Okuda smiled gently before turning and leaving the group.

"Haruhi," Tamaki started softly as they all listened to the click of the front door echo through the great room, "what did she mean about her father getting mad?" The hosts watched, concerned, as E-class glanced looks at each other.

"Sorry, senpai. It's not my story to tell." She replied even more quietly. Every member of class 3-E had their own demons, their own personal battles that landed them there. Some of them, darker than others.

"Hmm." Tamaki appeared thoughtful and remained silent for a time after that, even as the chatter picked back up again. Haruhi watched him wearily.

" **Hey, Shiota** ," the twins synchronized.

"Yeah?"

"Why do you," Kaoru started.

"Call Haruhi's father," Hikaru continued.

" **Papa Ranka**?" They finished together.

"Because he asked us to." The bluenette replied simply.

"Yeah. We were around so much last year, studying and whatnot, that he said he thought of all of us as his 'adopted' kids," Nakamura expounded. "He told us we had a safe place there if we ever felt like we had to escape and that if we _had_ to call him Ranka, he at least wanted to hear 'papa' proceeding it."

Haruhi could sense this was inching into dangerous territory and felt the need to distract everyone quickly. "Hey guys, why don't we take Kyouya-senpai's suggestion and go back out to the beach. Yesterday was fun, wasn't it?" The murmuring assent caused her to breathe a sigh of relief.

Mori glanced over at her from the corner of his eye and wondered about the stress in her eyes. He resolved himself to not leave her side this time in case it was caused by her injuries. He watched as her friend lifted her in that strange way that seemed to work for her and made a careful mental note. Once outside, the two 'carraiges', as Terasaka dubbed them, deposited their charges and ensured their comfort.

The day continued on much as the day before, with Haruhi's E-class friends fighting each other, the twins sketching to their hearts' content, Tamaki eagerly watching the sparring matches, the patients conversing enjoyably with their ever-present guardian silently watching over them. Kyouya, however, seemed more contemplative than usual and he was _not_ typing away on his computer for once.

In truth, Kyouya was attempting to come up with a plan to fulfill his father's wishes and his own desires. He could not deny how much he wanted this new Haruhi as his. He liked the Haruhi he had known, sure, but this new Haruhi, this playful, dangerous, skilled girl was exciting. She had him completely hooked, wrapped around her finger with just one look. He still couldn't get that image of her in straps out of his head. Was it love? Hell, he didn't know. He had no clue what love was. But it was certainly interest. And it was an interest that was only growing. He saw an idea slowly start to take shape and he smirked internally. It wouldn't be too hard to secure her.

"Haruhi," he started, dispassionately, when he had caught a lull in her conversation with Honey. After all, if he wanted this to work, he had to make it seem like she was providing a favor. It would take putting aside some pride on his part, but well worth it.

"Yes, senpai?" She had been keeping an eye on him. The abnormal lack of laptop or book concerned her. She could see the determined set in his mouth. It looked like he had reached some kind of decision and she was curious to know what it was.

"My family's company Christmas party is scheduled for December 22nd and my father has demanded I bring an escort. Would you be willing to accompany me to the event? Your cast will have come off by then and you will be able to sit for most of the evening with some exceptions."

If she, or any of those within earshot had expected something, it certainly wasn't that. The second-year had stunned all those close enough to listen in. But even her shocked state, she could still think about the pros and cons of accepting his invitation.

"Why would you ask me? Wouldn't your father want you to bring someone who would provide merit?" A small part of her was teasing him, but a larger part, the side that won out, was genuinely confused. She knew the business tycoon was all about how someone could make his standing better. She also knew just how dangerous it could be if he caught wind of her intentions. The torture chambers swirled in her mind even as the opportunity for recon was almost irresistible.

"A couple of reasons actually. First, the escorts I would normally take to these functions all have plans for the holiday season. None of them will be in the country. Second, while I could ask one of the more vapid socialite daughters of my family's acquaintances, I would prefer to not have my reputation tarnished should I give into the desire to throttle the annoying girl."

"Yeah, sure. I'll go." Haruhi giggled, knowing full well her friend probably wasn't joking. He might well have committed homicide if the girl was anything like their usual clients. He tolerated them during clubtime but never longer than that.

"Haru-chan's got a date with Kyo-chan!" Honey shouted, excitedly.

"Would you look at that?" Hikaru started.

"The Shadow King took the plunge." Kaoru leaned against his brother.

" **Way to go, senpai.** "

"Guys, would you calm down. It's not a date. It's a corporate event. Hardly what I would consider a romantic evening." By this point, her E-class friends had stopped fighting and were listening in.

"Wow, Haruhi, you really know how to crush a guy's hopes, don't you?" Nakamura teased.

"Seriously, Haru. Ootori asked you to accompany him for an evening. That's a date." Karma turned to the older male. "Good luck with this one, mate. She can tear a man's dignity to shreds without thinking about it."

Kyouya chuckled. "Don't we know it. He's right, Haruhi. This event was to be considered a date." He was stung by her words, but it was quickly soothed by her friends' teasing. "That does beg the question though, what do you consider a 'romantic evening?" If she was going to brush off his request for a date, he was going to make her answer a personal question in front of everyone she held esteem for. The group leaned in on her.

"Certainly not standing in a room full of business people I don't know trying to make connections I don't care about wearing a dress and shoes I'm uncomfortable in, I can tell you that much." She replied confidently.

"Then what is?" Kayano prompted.

"Yeah, Haru-chan. I wanna know what your idea of a romantic date is." Honey proclaimed. Everyone leaned in, crowding her. A little too closely. She struggled to keep her breathing under control even as she could feel her heart rate speed up. She swallowed, fighting the urge to let anyone see this weakness.

"If you know me at all, you already know what my idea of a romantic date is. Figure it out for yourselves." She was tired of her love life being under the microscope and now everyone was in on it. So she decided to turn the tables and annoy them for a change. To her relief, it worked. As soon as she'd uttered the last syllable, there was an audible gasp and the group broke off to discuss the conundrum. "You guys are way too interested in this subject." She mumbled. Mori, who hadn't left her side, and Honey, who couldn't leave her side, both chuckled.

"What did you expect, Haru-chan? None of us know what you want when it comes to romance and love. We don't even know if you have a type. It looks like you've also kept that information from even your E-class friends. Now that we at least know you _have_ a romantic bone in your body, we want to know what it is."

"Well, senpai, it's a little difficult to divulge that information when you spend a year of your life learning to guard your weaknesses under lock and key for fear of someone exploiting them and causing you to fail in your objective. In the world of assassins, any weakness, and that includes romance, is a death sentence." Honey regarded her seriously for a moment.

"Do you think there will ever be anyone whom you'll be able to trust enough to let that guard down? To look to for protection rather than always protecting yourself?"

She considered his question for a few minutes before responding. There was one she'd given most of her secrets up to already. The red head was in deep conversation with the twins, trying to figure out her idea of a date. But there were still a few pieces of herself she'd withheld, even from him. She didn't know how he'd react knowing everything. Would he still be there? Would he go off the deep end? Haruhi didn't know. And then there was the fact that, since she was outed to the school, so to speak, she was thinking about dating other people. Would they become the one she revealed everything to?

"Who knows, senpai. It would take a lot of trust for me to disclose my heart's secrets completely. I'm just not sure I'm ready to do that yet."

" **Hey Haruhi!** " The twins called, interrupting the interrogation.

"Yeah?" She replied, grateful for the intrusion.

"Your idea," Hikaru started.

"For a romantic date," Kaoru continued.

"Is a quiet afternoon at a bookstore," the twins' new partner-in-crime, Karma followed up.

" **Followed by a relaxing evening at the beach reading the spoils of the day.** " They all synchronized. Everyone looked to her in eager anticipation of her answer.

"Nice try, boys. While that does sound pleasant, and I will be storing it away, that is not the date I have in mind." A myriad of groans ensued as the others turned back to each other to talk about it more.

"Haruhi."

"Yes, Kyouya-senpai?" The brunette was a little nervous. If anyone could guess, she believed it would be the dark-haired Shadow King. Everyone turned to her again.

"A picnic under the stars in a grassy field." He said, confidently.

"You're wrong." She replied.

"I'm never wrong." He stated.

"You're close." She acquiesced.

"How so?" He challenged.

"You're a smart guy. Figure it out." She taunted, throwing in his signature smirk for good measure.

"It's like watching a ping-pong match, listening to those two." Nakamura whispered, none too quietly. A few laughs followed her statement but most were engrossed in the battle between the two most stubborn hosts. They were staring each other down, neither giving in to the other. Him scowling, her grinning like the cat that caught the canary.

"Camping." Mori spoke from behind her. As one, every head swiveled to the quiet giant. Haruhi grinned even more.

"Mori-senpai got it! Congratulations, senpai!" He merely ruffled her hair.

"No way, Morinozuka, how'd you figure it out?" Terasaka asked, impressed.

"Kyouya was close. Haruhi likes doing things on her own and enjoys quiet seclusion."

"Now that you all know, can you please let it drop? It's not like the information benefits you guys in any way. Kyouya-senpai, I'll go with you to the party. Hikaru and Kaoru, you know what we discussed as far as clothes. I hope you'll keep that in mind when designing a dress and shoes." The group separated and returned to their previous activities as Haruhi breathed a sigh of relief.

"Haru-chan, are you okay?" Honey asked, concerned.

"Yeah, I think this sun is just starting to get to me. Combine that with everyone's prodding and I guess I just got a little annoyed." Without warning, Haruhi was swept up with a barely suppressed yelp as she was carried back to the estate.

"You should have said." Mori-s reprimanding tone sounded in her ear. He'd learned how she liked to be carried and was taking the opportunity to practice it.

"What about Honey-senpai? You usually never leave him to his own devices. And he's injured? I thought for sure you'd stick close by."

"I will return after I take you to your room. I will send Karma and Shiota to you so that you three may talk before he has to leave." He felt, rather than saw her smile and relax against him.

"Thank you, Mori-senpai."

"I will not get in your way. But I will ask that you be careful." It was as close as he would get to expressing himself to her but she seemed to understand what he held back as she held his neck a little tighter.

"I will be, I promise." He set her gently upon her bed, gave her an elusive smile, and left her.


	25. Discussion Time

Discussion Time

'I would definitely fall for that man if I let myself,' she mused. She knew she couldn't, wouldn't, fall for her host club friends, but there were times when some of them made that edict hard to uphold. She looked at her phone and sighed. Might as well now as ever. Turning on the device, she texted Kasanoda.

' _Hey Kasanoda, you know my gender was outed at the festival, right?'_

A soft knock alerted her to the arrival of her two co-conspirators. "You guys got here fast," she said as they entered. "How'd Mori-senpai get you two away?"

"He told everyone you were feeling tired. Hikaru and Kaoru assumed that's why you were a little snappy. Nagisa and I took advantage of the situation and snuck away."

"Good thing you did, though he would have told you guys to come anyway. I figured we could talk for a bit before 'Gisa has to go. Maybe plan some kind of meeting schedule that coordinates with all of our agendas. Now that I'm not in debt anymore, I can probably get out of surprise trips. Ritsu, would you run a scan on the room and jam it?"

"Sure thing!" The bubbly girl popped up on her phone and proceeded to focus for a moment. "All done."

"Thanks, Moe Box," Karma said, snickering. Nagisa chuckled behind his hand as Ritsu's face morphed from animated and cheerful to dark and stormy.

"Don't call me that!" She yelled, stamping her foot.

"Why not? It's your nickname," he taunted.

"That _you_ gave me!" she shouted.

"You don't know that for sure. You only _think_ I did." He stuck his tongue out. By now, Nagisa was struggling to keep from laughing and Haruhi was rolling her eyes at the two. It never failed when they started in on each other.

"No, I _know_ it was you. No one else gets as much amusement out of it."

"No one else gets this much of a rise out of you," he retorted.

"I-ughh," she huffed, not having a counter-argument to that one. The red head smirked in victory.

"Ritsu, calm down." Haurhi said, giggling. "Karma, knock it off before you cause Ritsu to break my phone or you're buying me a new one. Can we get down to business?"

"Well, you'll be at Honinozuka's for the next week. There's no way we can plan anything then. But how about the week after? You're going home, right? If you can convince your host friends to have club, that will give us three hours a day to work together before they invade." Nagisa surmised, lowering his voice.

"Have either of you thought about how we'll actually pull this off? How we'll kill him?" Karma asked, mimicking the new voice level. If any were outside the door, none would be able to hear them.

"I figure I could use this Christmas party as a chance to do some recon. Taking my phone with me, Ritsu can scan each room I enter for cameras, mics, schematics, and we can build off that. I know the hosts were talking about how they wanted to spend the New Year at a shrine. Maybe we can make that our deadline? Come up with some reason I can't go with them?" Nagisa and Ritsu both nodded but Karma looked unsure. "What's up Karma?"

"I just don't like the idea of you being that close to the target before it's time to strike. If he catches any wind of what you're up to, the whole operation is a bust and you'll take the fall. Who knows what he'll do to you."

"Karma's right, Haruhi." Nagisa concurred. "This plan of yours is dangerous. One misstep and it's over for you."

"You guys think I don't know that? But what else do we have? We can't do everything remotely. I'm going to have to get close to the target if we stand any chance of getting this done."

"What if you started getting close to Kyouya?" Ritsu suggested. "You know what they say, keep your friends close, and your enemies closer. Believe it or not, you've been laying the groundwork for that this whole time."

"Except I don't want to lead him on and make him think he has a chance with me when he doesn't. Kyouya-senpai deserves better than that and you know it."

Karma shrugged. "It's not a bad idea, Haruhi. Besides, once the target has been eliminated, he will become too busy for a relationship and you can both let it die naturally."

"I can't do that. To him or myself. It's not right."

"It's assassination. None of this is right," Nagisa said, downcast. "But we all just have to grit our teeth and do it anyway."

"But you don't know what this would do with my friendships with the other guys," Haruhi pleaded. "And if they ever found out I only used Kyouya to get to the target, they'll never talk to me again and they could use their influence to make my life a living hell. And that would be nothing compared to the guilt and self-condemnation that would tear me apart. I'm sorry. I just can't do that to him."

"So then, what if you didn't simply use him? What if you actually fell for him?" Ritsu proposed. "You already hold him in high regard. You respect him intellectually and care for him as a friend. It shouldn't be that hard to transfer those feelings into that of love."

"It's not that easy, Ritsu. I've never thought about him in a romantic light before. How do I even know if there's a spark that could turn into a relationship? Besides, again, what about my other host club friends? It would destroy the dynamics of our group if I started dating one of them over the others."

"Haru, you can't keep worrying about everyone else's feelings forever. As for the spark, well, you won't know until you give it a chance, will you?" While Karma may want her, he wanted this mission to be a success even more and if that meant watching her on the arm of the third son, then so be it. But as she stared at him, he thought he saw her eyes cloud with…was that disappointment? He couldn't be sure because he blinked and it was cleared.

Haruhi sighed. "I'll think about it, okay? In the meantime, how are we going to get together after I go back to school?"

"You know, I was thinking about that," Karma answered. "What if Karasama got me and Nagisa in at Ouran for a semester as exchange students? Whatever we earned in grades would transfer back to our high schools so we won't lose footing there."

"How can we all go on scholarship? We can't _all_ be top of the class. If either of you surpass me, I'm screwed!" Haruhi exclaimed, panicking. "I've worked too damn hard to get in here and I'm not about to give it up, not even for this."

"Woah, woah, woah, calm down, Haruhi. I'm sure Karma didn't mean we all compete against each other, right?" Nagisa patted her good leg in a soothing gesture.

"Of course not. I wouldn't risk your hard-earned education for anything!" The red-head defended. "What I mean is Karasama could act as our sponsor and the government could pay a semester of tuition for us. That way, you don't have to worry about us breaking your streak, we could still earn high marks to keep ourselves in our current place at our own high schools, and come March, everything would go back to normal."

"That would mean the three of us were together all the time. Wouldn't someone get suspicious? The two of you showing up mere months before the Patriarch's demise and then leaving months after it happened?"

"What if only one of you transfer?" Ritsu suggested. "You could use the excuse of 'checking it out to see if it's right for you'. Maybe Mr. Karasama could say he'll only keep sponsoring you as long as you remain among the top 5 spots?"

"That could work," Nagisa said, considering. "Then Haruhi wouldn't have to worry about her top spot being taken. But it does beg the question 'which of us will transfer'."

"Also, how will the other meet with us?" Haruhi expounded.

"That could just be attributed to hanging out." Ritsu answered. "After all, you did say you wanted to do that more now that you didn't have a debt."

"Would the one who transferred look into joining the host club? Since I'll be hosting as a girl now, we could use another guy to fill my spot. 'Gisa, you could be the new natural or Karma, you could be the bad boy." Haruhi winked. "The girls flocked to Shiro's naughty type act during his time at the club before his family moved to Spain."

"Could be fun," Karma smirked. "Toying with the emotions of those innocent, pampered princesses."

"You're the natural type now, aren't you?" Nagisa asked. At her nod he continued, "How do you do it?"

"It's easy to be the natural type actually. I'm just myself. There's no silly act I have to parade my way through like the others. Just talk to the girls about their problems, ask them about their weekend plans, listen to them."

"Sounds like a lot of pressure. If I transferred, I would probably pass on the host club. I'd probably still come and sit with you though, keep an eye on things, especially while you're still healing."

"That'd be nice. I think I'd enjoy the extra security for a bit. The backlash is not going to be pretty." She replied with a false shudder. "Honestly guys, how do you feel about all this?"

"Truthfully?" Nagisa started, "I think I'm more nervous about this than I ever was with Koro-sensei. Yeah, it took me months to stop having nightmares about that night but at least with him, if we failed, the world would be obliterated and we wouldn't have to deal with anything anymore because all of us would be gone. With this, if we fail, it falls squarely on us and you're the one who takes the fall, Haruhi."

"I think I know what you mean," Karma went on. "If you really plan on being the front lines for this attack and it goes wrong, it's your neck on the chopping block. I know you and I know you would never give us up so everything would lie solely on your shoulders. If you die as a result, the three of us would have to live with that in silence for the rest of our lives."

"They have a point, you know. And if it happened to be a brutal assault before you were killed, we would be listening to that in our heads until we were dead or driven mad, whichever came first." Ritsu had never seemed so vulnerable to her three companions.

As soft brown eyes met steely sapphire, gentle golden, and somber cerulean, Haruhi felt the overwhelming concern and fear from her three closest friends. She knew she had to protect them at all cost. She also wasn't senseless. She had to look out for herself as well. Taking a few moments to consider her experiences and their feelings, the brunette assassin fortified herself. Her eyes turned hard and determined.

"Then we must not slip up. I am confident in your abilities to come to my rescue if I need it. I will strengthen my abilities so that I don't need rescuing. I am convinced we will create air-tight plans and contingencies. We will see this through and we will make it to the other side. I won't promise we will make it through unscathed because that would be foolish. But we will make it through."

This encouraging speech seemed to simmer down her friends' worries, at least for the moment. Her three cohorts looked more relieved and emboldened than they had since the group had begun talking. They would trust their friend and they would trust each other. Karasama was right. Together, they made a very powerful and dangerous team. Karma's eyes turned crimson as he nodded to an icy-eyed Nagisa who nodded to Ritsu whose eyes had become as deep as rubies. She in turn nodded to Haruhi. The four were ready to wage war on one Ootori Yoshio. A slow realization seemed to dawn on the bluenette. The others turned with interest.

"Hey Ritsu, what time is it?"

"It's ten after two."

"Crap! I gotta get home! Mom's gonna have my head if I'm back any later than five! I'll see you guys later! Let me know what Mr. K says about that sponsorship!" He hopped off the bed and flew out the door, hearing his friends chuckle and call out their farewells.

Haruhi leaned back against her pillows with a heavy sigh. Ritsu left to give the two best friends some privacy. She had a hunch that she wanted to verify. Karma laid down with his head propped up on his arm.

"You're not as confident as you said, are you?" He guessed.

"Yes and no. I meant what I said about us coming through to the other side of this. I'm just wondering how. And now you guys want me to start dating Kyouya under false pretenses? I don't know. I was thinking about dating but I didn't want it to be a fellow clubmember. Way too many complications."

"Oh really?" He drawled. The girl's face turned bright red and she frantically waved her hands in denial.

"No…I mean…gah! I shouldn't have told you that!" She buried her face into the elbow of her good arm groaning as Karma started to laugh.

"Alright so if not one of your host club boys who'd kill each other for the chance to date you, then who?" The red head couldn't help but tease her for this slip of the tongue. Haruhi groaned again.

"Promise you won't say anything?"

"Pinky swear. If I break it, you get to break my pinky." He held out his little finger for her to accept.

"Fine. I was thinking of asking Ritsu." Karma looked confused.

"Artificial Intelligence Fixed Artillery Ritsu?"

"No, you big dolt," she said lightly shoving him. "Kasanoda Ritsu. Remember when he tried to ask me out during club time but I couldn't because the whole school thought I was a boy and it would start rumors that would have ruined his reputation? I was going to see if he was still interested in a date. It would make sense if his men were the ones guarding my apartment." Karma laid flat on his back.

"Yeah, I guess it does. But if you do that, then how are you going to work in your date with Ootori? You can't date one person and then turn around and go to a public event like that with another."

"One date does not a couple make and I am sick of people thinking that's how it works."

"Okay, calm down. So in that case, what would make a couple, in your opinion?" He knew he was fishing for disappointment but he had to know.

"You have to find out if you're compatible with the other person for one. Too opposite can lead to disintegration, too similar can lead to boredom, there has to be a decent balance." Karma nodded, agreeing with her so far. "You have to have known the other person for quite a while to build up the trust it takes to let that other person in. To let them know your likes and dislikes, to bare your secrets to and know they'll be safe, to know you can lean on them in times of trouble or stress. I'm not a romantic, I've never believed in fairy tales, but I want that much for myself at least."

"You deserve it and more." He said so quietly Haruhi almost missed it. In a louder voice, he asked, "so which of us do you want in your class if Karasama can't get both of us in? Me or Nagisa?"

"Well, I'd find more of an academic challenge out of Nagisa." She winked, giggling.

"Oh, you think so, do you?"

"I _know_ so." Haruhi stuck her tongue out at her best friend. "But he doesn't want to be a host. There's no way Kyouya senpai would let him just sit in during club hours without paying a pretty penny. That would mean he wouldn't be able to keep an eye on me like he wants to. So, I guess in that respect, it'd be better to have you along. If you can handle it."

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked, nudging her.

"Trying to win over spoiled rich girls isn't as easy as I make it seem," she replied with a laugh.

"I seem to have won over your spoiled rich boys fairly easily," he said smugly.

"Oh yeah, you and Tamaki-senpai are best mates aren't you? How many times has he wanted to kill you since you got here? Very buddy-buddy." Haruhi rolled her eyes.

"He likes me. He just doesn't like how much I know you. But he's gonna have to get over it because now that I'm back in your life again, I'm not going anywhere!" The brunette laughed.

"Is that a threat or a promise?" The thought that Karma was around for good made her happy and hopeful. She always felt more at peace when she was around him. The red head was enough of a hot head for the both of them. She wanted to try dating _him_. He had said he'd wanted to date her back in middle school. Now that they could be at the same school, did that desire remain? Possibly not since he was pushing for this relationship with her senpai. At the same time, she still wasn't sure about giving up her darkest secret to anyone. That was a piece of herself she wanted to take to her grave. Until she felt ready to tell him, or anyone for that matter, she didn't feel like she could fully commit to a relationship. What kind of couple would it be if trust was an issue? She wanted to tell him but she also didn't want him to know. No one knew. She was always taught that no one should know.

Karma watched on as an air of melancholic indecision clouded his Haru's expressive eyes and her limbs stilled. Wherever her mind had taken her, it was not a pleasant place. He wanted to remove the tragic look from her gentle face but he didn't touch her. She wouldn't want it. She would hate to be pulled from her thoughts like that, even if they were dark. It would embarrass her to be caught off guard. He knew he could only watch and worry, knew he wouldn't get any information out of her that she didn't want to share.

She inhaled deeply and shook herself out of her reverie, turning once again to her best friend. "In any case, how about you go and get yourself some lunch. It's nearly three and you haven't eaten since breakfast. I think I might take a nap. These pain medications tend to make me sleepy. Between them and this meeting, I think I'm ready to actually go to sleep instead of just using it as an excuse." Karma laughed, knowing she was still using it as an excuse anyway.

"If you wanted me gone, you could have just said so." He pecked her cheek and darted from the room before she could react, chuckling at the stunned expression on her face.

'Damn him,' she thought laying back. Grabbing her phone, she went to respond to the text from her _other_ flaming red aired friend.

' _I wasn't there but I heard about it. Besides, even if I hadn't I'd find out anyway. Ootori senpai's been posting pictures of you as a girl all day advertising you as a hostess. What about it?'_

Haruhi deadpanned. 'Of course he has. He wouldn't be Kyouya if he didn't cash in quick.'

' _Well, I wanted to ask you a favor. I'm expecting some backlash and I wanted to make sure my apartment was covered if anyone were to follow me home. Would it be too much trouble to ask you to put a couple of your guys around the area when I go back to school in two weeks? They're way better at blending in than anything Kyouya senpai's men can do and I really don't want to be in debt with him again.'_ She didn't have to wait long for a response.

' _Yeah, sure, no problem. But do you really think someone would go that far? And why two weeks? We go back Monday.'_ She sighed, knowing she'd have to carefully explain a few things without giving everything away. She never thought her two lives would cross but now that they had, maneuvering them was becoming increasingly difficult. It had only been a week!

' _I got injured over the break so I'm on bedrest for this week and next. As far as do I think someone would follow me home? I don't know. I would just rather not take the chance unprepared.'_

' _Woah what happened? Are you alright? Are you safe?'_ She sighed again.

' _Yeah, I'm fine. Sorta. Pretty banged up, hence the bedrest order. But me and Honey-senpai got to fighting and things got a little out of hand. If it helps, I gave as good as I got and he's on bedrest too this week. He won't be back at school until next Monday.'_

' _WHAT?! What do you mean you got to fighting with Honinozuka-senpai?!'_ By this point, Haruhi could have filled a balloon with the amount of sighing she'd done.

' _I meant what I said. Just because I didn't tell you I was skilled at fighting doesn't mean I'm not. We fought and we both got injured. When I go back to school in two weeks, I will still be injured. I have a plan in place for school and club hours. I need your help with my plan for after school. Do I have it or not?'_

' _Yeah, I already told you I'd help. I'll come over one night this week and we can work out the details.'_

' _No good. Honey-senpai wanted me to spend this week on bedrest with him at his house so he wouldn't get too bored. I'll be home next week when he goes back to school though.'_

' _Alright then, next week. Don't worry about dinner. I'll bring it when I come over.'_

'Does that make this a date?' Haruhi thought. 'Depends on if dad's home or not.'

' _Sounds good. How's next Tuesday?'_

' _Works for me. I'll see you then.'_ She giggled softly to herself. He sounded so much more confident over the phone than he did in person. She heaved a great sigh of exasperation. Now for the more headache-inducing conversation.

' _Hey Renge, I have a favor to ask.'_ Immediately, her phone started ringing and she let out another sigh before accepting the call, thankful she didn't have to deal with the otaku in person.

"Hello Renge."

"OH MY GODS HARUHI IS IT TRUE?! ARE YOU REALLY A GIRL?! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?! WE COULD HAVE BEEN BEST FRIENDS THIS WHOLE TIME! I mean I'm a little upset that my favorite host isn't exactly my type like I thought BUT WE COULD HAVE BEEN BEST FRIENDS! OF COURSE I'LL HELP YOU WITH WHATEVER YOU NEED!" It was a good thing Haruhi had planned on an exuberant response and held the phone away from her ear or she might have suffered permanent damage. But even at this rate she might still suffer some hearing loss.

'I wonder how long she can go on,' the brunette thought to herself as the self-proclaimed manager continued on without pause. 'I wonder what we're going to do about food next week. If I'm on bedrest, I can't cook. Dad can't stay home all week taking care of me, we need the money. Well, we don't really _need_ it, I can dip into my savings if I have to but I'd really rather not if I can avoid it. College is expensive after all and I was hoping to study in Europe, maybe come across Lovro again. He was tough, but I learned a lot. And also how am I supposed to do homework? Honey-senpai messed up my writing hand. I suppose I can learn how to use my other hand but my penmanship is going to be illegible on those first few assignments until I get the hang of it.'

"-So anyway, you're totally going to love Uki Doki Memorial! And you simply MUST see my collection of-"

'Does the girl ever take a breath?' Haruhi lost herself to her thoughts again and let the passionate fellow first year to drone on in the background until she actually started to doze off.

"-and that's why you should never play with cats near an open butcher shop."

'What the hell is she talking about?' "Hey Renge?" Haruhi finally interrupted, "Remember how I asked you for a favor?"

"Oh yeah, I meant to ask you what it was. I'll do anything. Just name it!"

"Okay, so you know how the school knows I'm a girl, right? I'm pretty sure there'll be some backlash and I didn't want to be unprepared. I was wondering if you would come with me whenever I had to use the bathroom at school so that I wouldn't get jump by some jealous girl."

"Of course I will! You don't have to worry about a thing, Haruhi! If you want, I can stick as close to you as a shadow. Always watching. Always ready." The brunette laughed hesitantly.

"I don't think you have to go that far. The other hosts are pretty shadowy enough as it is. But even they can't follow me into the girls' restroom. This is a job only you can take on."

"With pleasure! I'll even use my status as the Host Club manager to ensure your transition goes as smoothly as possible with the other girls. Now why don't you go get some rest or something. You sound really tired."

"Thanks, Renge. I appreciate that a lot and I will." Heartened, Haruhi said her goodbyes and hung up the phone, ready to settle into a nice, long nap.


	26. Ranka Time

A/N: So sorry for the near 2-month delay and a quick thank you to the readers who haven't given up on me. I've had writer's block again that was only cured by rewriting some things. I promise you, this story is not dead! As always, reviews are appreciated but not required and please remember to stay awesome!

* * *

Ranka Time

The girl ended up sleeping until Kanzaki woke her for breakfast the next morning. They had tried waking her several times before without receiving more than a grunt in reply.

"Haruhi, sweetie, it's time to wake up now. You haven't eaten since yesterday morning. And we have to help you pack so we can all go home with you. Honinozuka is ordering an extra limo so that we can all see Papa Ranka! Isn't that sweet?"

"Yeah, it is," she said, yawning and stretching. She winced, hissing when her limbs complained about the extensions.

"Careful, Haruhi, or you'll injure yourself further. Here, let me help you." The black-haired girl sat her friend up on the pillows before giving her a dose of her medication and some water.

"Thanks, Yukiko. I don't know what I'm going to do the next two weeks without you guys."

As soon as Haruhi was dressed, this time in an emerald, empire-waist dress that flowed to her knees with a pair of pajama shorts under it to preserve her modesty, the two called for Terasaka.

"Cute dress, Haru," Karma complimented upon the trio's arrival. A murmur of agreement surrounded the table.

"Yeah, great design, Kaoru, that color is so flattering on her," Nakamura elaborated. Kaoru nodded in her direction, not even bothering to question how she knew it was his design.

"How do you know it was Kaoru's?" Hikaru asked, indignantly.

"Honestly, Hikaru. Can you really say you're all that surprised?" His younger brother replied, dismissively. The older twin thought about it for a moment and shook his head.

"What time are we leaving today anyway?" Haruhi asked their hosts.

" **After lunch**."

"Haruhi," Kyouya started, "how is Ranka going to react to you being injured? He's very protective of you, after all."

She pondered that. "I suppose we'll just have to wait and see. Could be interesting."

"You've got that right," Kayano laughed. "By the way, thanks, Honinozuka, for letting us tag along! I really appreciate it."

"No problem, Kaya-chan!" He beamed at her.

The rest of the morning passed relatively peacefully all things considered. The twins and Itona ended up pranking Tamaki by planting a device on his suitcase that would unlock it whenever they pressed a button so that he couldn't secure it. Everyone had a good laugh as they watched him became increasingly frustrated. Eventually, he ended up mummy-taping the suitcase shut. Then promptly threw a fit when he found out Haruhi was not going to travel with them (or more specifically him) but with her friends. The two groups embarked on their return to the city, one significantly more cheerful than the other and when they all stepped out of the limos a few hours later (Haruhi and Honey being carried, naturally), the blond second-year had more than a few lumps on his head.

"What happened to Suoh?" Terasaka asked, gruffly as he started carrying his charge up the stairs.

"Tama-chan needed a nap so Kyo-chan ensured he got his rest." Honey responded, giggling. This caused a round of laughter from E-class.

"Well isn't that nice of you, Ootori?" Nakamura smirked.

"I do what I can to make sure my fellow clubmembers are in top form." Kyouya answered. "If that means guaranteeing they get adequate sleep, so be it."

"Hey, Kaede?" Haruhi called over Terasaka's shoulder, "can you get into my purse and get my keys out?" Once the door was unlocked, everyone filed inside. "Dad?! I'm home!"

"Coming," came the sing-song voice of her father. The crossdresser appeared from the kitchen wiping his hands on a frilly apron and looked around at his suddenly full living room and dining room.

"AHHHHHHH! It's my adopted babies! You've finally come to visit me?! It's been so long!" He whirled around the room giving everyone from E-class a huge, fatherly hug. "Where have you all been?! What have you all been up to?! Let me make you all some tea and we'll catch up!" In his excitement, the Host Club got pushed back a little.

"No need, Ranka, I'm pretty sure I remember where everything is, I can do it," Kanzaki offered before the okama turned to her, shaking his finger.

"How many times do I have to tell you, young lady. If you insist on calling me by that name, I want to at least hear 'papa' in front of it. I won't have it otherwise."

She smiled at him, scratching at the back of her neck. "Sorry, papa Ranka, it's just been a while. Didn't know if you still felt that way." The older man turned serious.

"Nonsense. No matter how long it's been, my house is a home to you. All of you. You kids helped my Haruhi as much as she helped you and I'm proud of everyone. That includes you Host Club boys too." They all smiled warmly at the exuberant father who often showed them more affection than even their own parents.

"You are forever gracious, my dear papa Ranka and I cannot expound upon my gratitude enough for the-"

"NOT FROM YOU, YOU PATHETIC WORM! THE ONLY THING I WANT TO HEAR YOU CALL ME IS FUJIOKA-SAMA! IS THAT CLEAR?!"

"Dad, calm down." Haruhi called from Terasaka's shoulder as Tamaki disintegrated into a pile of dust.

"Of course, dear," he said without taking his eyes off the dirt, "you're right. I just need to sweep up real quick so that we all might be able to sit comfortably. I don't know how this place manages to get so dirty."

"Daaaad," she warned.

"Alright, alright, fine. What are you doing being carried by Ryōma anyway?" Terasaka turned around so that Ranka could see the casted leg and gauze-wrapped hand. A brief moment of panic begins to morph his features as he starts looking around at the other E-class members. Seeing slight bruises and scrapes on them and a brilliant shiner across Karma's nose and under his eyes, the patriarch calms down and smirks. "You've been fighting again, haven't you, baby," he stated knowingly. "Son, why don't you put her down on one of the dining room chairs. So, which one of you took on my Haruhi this time? Karma, you have the worst of the bruises. I assume it was you?"

The red-head laughed. "I did go a few rounds with her but I am not the cause of all that. She did give me this though," he said, pointing at his nose. "Stepped on my face."

"Hahaha That's my girl!" Ranka looked around and spotted Honey sitting in Mori's arms, his leg wrapped in gauze. "Ah, so my daughter took on the famous Honinozuka." Honey beamed at the father.

"Yes, sir. And gave as good as she got." He lifted his shirt to reveal the bandage on his chest.

"Haruhi! Were you planning on killing the poor boy?!"

"In her defense, sir, she really didn't know it was me. It was dark. How did you know she could fight? We didn't find out until earlier this week." Honey was not the only person who wanted the answer to that question. The entirety of E-class was startled and fearful to learn that he knew about their training.

"Well, let's see," Ranka started thoughtfully, "it was about a month after the start of her 3rd year. I noticed her coming home aching and covered in bruises and scrapes. I feared she was being bullied and since she wouldn't talk to me, I went up the mountainside to talk with her teacher."

"Hang on! You talked to Koro-sensei?!" Haruhi burst out.

"No," Ranka, tapped his finger to his chin, "no, it was that Karasama fellow. A rather handsome man. Anyway, he assured me that the reason you were always covered in bruises was because he was teaching your class self-defense during gym hours. He said he wanted you all to be safe if you ever ran into trouble and who was I to argue with that."

"That explains a lot." Haruhi mumbled. "So dad, because of," she gestured to herself, "all this, I've been ordered to bedrest for the next two weeks. I won't be able to return to school until Monday after next. But Honey-senpai is only supposed to be on bedrest until next Monday. Do you mind if I stay with him at his house for the next week so we won't be bored and you don't have to take time off work to take care of me?"

This instantly caused an argument.

"But Haruhi, you know how much I love taking care of you!" Her father pouted.

"Indeed, daddy knows the best way to care for his darling little girl. You should come stay with me!"

"NEVER, YOU INSUFFERABLE VERMIN!" And with that, Tamaki had reverted back to his previous dust form.

" **We'd be happy to accommodate her for the next couple weeks. We are her best friends and it'd be good for her to be around familiarity. We can help her keep caught up on her schoolwork.** "

"True enough, but with you two, she would never be able to concentrate. Ranka, my family's home offers peace, quiet, and a team of medical professionals to oversee her care." E-class just stood there, enjoying the fireworks.

"Guys, Haru-chan and I have already talked about it and my parents are already looking forward to her coming."

"No! Daddy refuses to allow his daughter to stay with the duplicitous neighbor!"

" _Whose daughter?_ " Ranka leered.

"Eeep! Yours sir, of course. I was only trying to protect her innocence and virtue."

"My virtue is none of your concern, _senpai_. And I'm not your daughter!" Haruhi glared.

"Easy to see where Haru got her temper, eh Terasaka?" Karma muttered.

"No kidding."

"Daddy…" Haruhi waited until her father (and granted, everyone else) was looking at her. To everyone's surprise, she was pulling a puppy dog pout! Her eyes seemed even larger and deeper than usual, her lips downturned into the most irresistible pout, even more potent than Honey's! It was not a move she pulled very often but it was a move she knew her father would cave to every time. "Please let me stay with Honey-senpai? You overwork yourself so much already and I don't want you to have to worry about me on top of it all. His parents already know to expect me and I'll be well looked after."

He sighed, knowing the battle was already won. "Alright, sweetie. You can spend the week with Mitsukuni. Just tell me how things are going, ok? And let me take care of you when you get back." The Host Club and E-class were dumbstruck. With just one look, her father, usually so overprotective and stubborn, was conceding defeat and giving in to his daughter's wishes!

"Well Haruhi, in that case, let us go help you pack for your stay at the Honinozuka home." Nakamura said. As the twins started forward, she held up her hand. "Girls only, obviously."

"Then why does _he_ get to go?" Hikaru said, indignantly, as Terasaka leaned down to pick Haurhi up.

"Relax, would ya? It's not like I'm stayin' in there. It'd be creepy and I'm not like that. Just gonna put her on the bed and come back." He felt her good arm tighten around his neck in thanks.

"Of course not. I know my darling punk would never do anything untoward my baby girl," Ranka gushed. "You just go right ahead."

"Heh. Thanks pops." Terasaka replied. The Hosts balked at Ranka's apparent ease with how much E-class was allowed to touch his precious daughter. It contradicted everything they knew about his overprotectiveness.

He followed the girls to her bedroom and left, closing the door behind him, just as he'd said he would.

"Wow, Haruhi, I never thought you'd go that far to get your way." Kayano said quietly in case anyone was listening in as she grabbed a suitcase from under her bed.

"Yeah, I didn't think you had it in you to manipulate your own father," Nakamura continued, starting to gather her friend's school books and supplies.

"Are you kidding? I have to manipulate him all the time just to make sure he takes care of himself. Now, do I usually have to resort to pouting? No. But when I saw that _all_ the hosts were vying for my presence, I did what I had to in order to keep the plans I'd already made. So I hit him where it hurts with me being looked after and delivered the final blow with a pout."

"That's really impressive. You always were your own weapon. I guess now I know how you got so good. You've had a lot of practice." Kanzaki smiled while digging around her closet for the appropriate garments.

"You didn't tell us your dad knew about the fighting." Kayano said, rifling through her dresser.

"I didn't know. Though that does explain why he stopped nagging me about the bruises. Kinda worried about to do for food for the next couple of weeks though."

"Don't be. We'll take care of that. Some of us can 'just happen by' every couple of days or so. We'll make sure your dad eats."

"Thanks, Rio," the brunette sighed in relief. "I can't really go grocery shopping or cook when I'm on bedrest." The blonde brushed off her gratitude.

"Alright, that should do it," Kayano said a little while later, closing her suitcase and dusting off her hands. Nakamura grabbed the case while Kanzaki went to get Terasaka.

"Hey girls," Karma greeted. "Guess what? While you guys were back there, Honinozuka said he'd get that other limo to take us back home."

"That's so sweet, Honey-senpai, thank you." Haruhi beamed at the shorter man.

"No problem, Haru-chan. I'm just glad I can help! This is gonna be a fun week isn't it?" She smiled.

"Yeah, I believe it will be." She was starting to look forward to it.


	27. Haruhi Meets the Honinozukas

Haruhi Meets the Honinozukas

"Are you sure they'll get home alright?" Haruhi asked as they pulled up to the Honinozuka Estate.

"Of course! Our driver will make sure all your friends make it back safe and sound no matter where they live. Or he'll suffer the consequences of not looking after them."

"Come on now, put 'dark' Honey-senpai away. You can't be fighting anyway. Speaking of, won't you have to fight your family members when we get inside? Isn't that a family law or something?"

"Yes, but not when one of us is injured to the extent that we are." He replied, pleased that she had remembered such a small detail from so long ago. Just as the limo stopped at the front door, he noticed a worry mark crease between her eyebrows. A small distinction, but he'd learned that she could be as heard to read as Mori. He reached out to clasp her hand comfortingly. "What's wrong, Haru-chan?"

"Do your parents and your brother know I'm a commoner?"

"Well, yeah, do you think I haven't talked about you at home? Why, is that a problem?"

"Are you sure I'll be welcomed here with you? That they won't see me as some gold-digging commoner with an embarrassing excuse for a father trying to rise above my station? I hear things like that at school and I can typically just brush it off. But I don't want my background to get in the way of our friendship."

"That's what you're worried about? Haru-chan, if I thought for a second you could be insulted by my family, I never would have asked for you to be here. My parents know all about you except for what you've told me in confidence. My mother wants to meet you for you and has for a while. She's excited to be around another girl for a change. My father wants to meet the one person outside the family who has been able to stand their ground against me. I was not going easy during our fight. Yet you managed to hold your own. And if my brother says anything to that effect, he will be punished."

She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. He was right. "I'm sorry, Honey-senpai. I shouldn't have doubted you."

"It's ok," he said beaming, "I understand. By the way. I liked it when you called me Mitsu while you were carrying me. You can keep calling me that. It's cute!"

"Are you sure? I only did that because I was panicking, injured, and out of breath."

"I know. But I like it from you. Now, shall we go in?" She nodded. Mori got out and waited to carry his two charges. During the conversation between Haruhi and Honey, he had silently listened, glad she had opened up about her fears. He vowed to himself he would find out who had been saying those awful things about her. He would make it known that anyone who had something to say could say it to him or keep their mouths shut.

Haruhi looked around her once Mori had picked her up. He carried her, sitting on his arm like a swing. Since Honey was in the other arm already, she decided she could ignore the discomfort of her ribs. Honey's Estate was nothing but amazing to her, though her face remained blank. It was the perfect combination of modern and traditional, spanning out around a large, natural koi pond. It was made of a combination of brick and rough stone with traditional kawara-tiles on the rooftops. Once Mori had made it to the porch, she looked up and sure enough, there were the individual support beams.

"What, no nightingale flooring?" She asked. Mori threw her a tiny smirk and scooted his foot along the hardwood until he reached a certain spot, pressing down. Her ears filled with a low creak. "I was joking." Honey giggled.

"It's part of our training. Nightingale traps are all over the house. The mark of a true master is that we never make a sound and that we hear it when one is triggered." As if to prove his point, it was at that moment the double-doors were opened.

A beautiful, tall, blonde woman was standing in the doorway looking sternly at Mori. "Takashi, you know the rule about activating a nightingale." The stoic senior bowed his head.

"Yes, Auntie."

"Mother, he only demonstrated one to Haru-chan who asked about them." Honey defended, hoping to save his cousin from his punishment. Immediately, Haruhi found out where Honey got his personality. Like a switch, there was the same beaming smile on her face and sparkling in her eyes.

"So _this_ is the famous Haru-chan! Oh, I'm so excited to meet you, dear!" She gasped. "Morinozuka Takashi, why are you still holding her outside? Bring her in at once, lest she become sick on top of injured. You can set the two in the East lounge. I'll have some tea brought to us as I get to know her."

"Yes, Auntie." He bowed his head again and passed by the woman. Honey giggled.

"See, I told you," he said quietly.

Haruhi noted that even though Mori was carrying two extra people, he still made no sounds throughout the journey from the front door to the designated room. She glanced around. The wide hallways and open foyer were decorated much more traditionally than the architecture. There were wall scrolls depicting beautiful scenery, there were various weapons resting on pedestals and hooks alike. She could see the Honinozuka kamon that was engraved on every gleaming blade and inscribed on every polished shield they passed. She surreptitiously peeked into the rooms that were opened and noticed they were sparsely furnished although traditionally so. There were couches, chairs, and a table in the center but not much besides. The walls and ceiling sporadically held grips that, if one was quick and careful enough, looked like they could be used to avoid the trapped floors altogether. Haruhi wondered if she could attempt it with only one hand.

Mori placed her and Honey in a similar-looking room as she had seen along the way. She didn't understand the difference between this room and the others they had passed but it wasn't her place to question it. As he put her down, she grimaced internally at the shift. She stretched out her leg in front of her and attempted to sit as straight as she could, though she would really have preferred to lay. Mori sat between the two patients in case they needed something. No sooner had he done so, Honey's mother strolled in and took her place. A maid followed, bearing the promised tea. At her departure, the woman turned to her new houseguest.

"So, Fujioka Haruhi, correct?"

"Yes, Honinozuka-sama."

"Oh, there's no need to be so formal. You're going to be staying with us for the next week. If you have to call me anything, please call me Chiaki."

' _Sparkling light_ ,' mused Haruhi. ' _How fitting.'_ Aloud she said, "As you wish, Chiaki-sama. You may refer to me as Haruhi in return, if you so desire."

"My, how polite. Your manners do your parents credit, Haruhi. What do they do for a living?"

"My mother died when I was five. Before that, she was a lawyer. My father co-owns a trans bar not too far from our home."

"I'm so sorry to hear about your mother, dear. It must have been hard growing up alone." Haruhi waved off her concern.

"She was very sick, so I look at it as she's no longer suffering. As far as growing up, while I did take on the household, my father is a crossdresser and has strived to be both mother and father to me. We've done well for ourselves, he and I."

"He never remarried to give you the mother you needed?"

She shook her head. "My father has only ever loved one woman and her name was Fujioka Kotoko. He has had lovers since then but nothing ever serious and never another woman."

"Wow, I didn't know that, Haru-chan. Your dad is such a romantic!" Haruhi chuckled at her friend.

"I suppose you could say that. He does tend to view the world with his rose-colored glasses firmly in place."

"Well, it seems to me he has raised a strong young lady, regardless. Now, how did all this happen?" Chiaki asked, gesturing to her son and his friend. "Mitsukuni only told me you two had gotten yourselves injured while fighting."

They recanted the story and continued talking until they were called for dinner. Once seated, Haruhi was introduced to Honey's father, Honinozuka Masaru, and re-introduced to Honey's younger brother, Yasuchika, and the questions began anew. Though, it was a little while before Yasuchika got over the shock of finding out she was a girl. After covering the basics of introductions, Honey's father asked one that threw her off guard.

"Do you know what illness it was that your mother died of?" The brunette panicked internally and ducked her head, a sure sign of sorrow to everyone else, but for her it was a chance to gather her thoughts. Everyone usually left well enough alone after she told them her mother had died of illness. She wasn't prepared for anyone to ask what it was. What was she to say?

She cleared her throat. "I'm afraid I was considered too young to understand what happened at the time, so I was never told." A half-truth. "By the time I got old enough, my father's grief forbade me from asking." A whole truth. "I don't know what put her in the hospital, just that she never left." Another half-truth. She didn't feel comfortable outright lying to her senpai's parents when they were so open and kind to her.

"I see." She wondered how much he truly saw. "And how is it that you came to know such skill as to stand your ground against my son?"

"In my third year of middle school, my sensei decided to instruct us on different forms of martial arts and incorporate them into other fighting styles from around the world so that we may defend ourselves against a wide range of combatants. He also instructed us in the ways of knife-wielding." It was mostly true, though she never said exactly who her sensei was or if he was involved in the school.

"An impressive method, to be sure. Your execution of it is a credit to his teachings."

"Thank you, sir. I'll be sure to pass along your praise." She smiled at the man and returned to her meal.

"You said your father is an okama?" Yasuchika asked, eyeing her. The rest of his family eyed him in return.

"Yes," she replied, not understanding where he was going with it. "My mother never had a problem with his enjoyment of feminine garments and when she died, he indulged in them whole-heartedly."

"It doesn't embarrass you?" The younger man asked.

"Chika," Honey warned, almost daring him to say something negative.

"No. Nor do I believe it should. What someone looks like on the outside does not define who they are on the inside. Man, woman, it doesn't matter. What matters is how you treat others and how you handle the challenges that life throws at you. Despite what the twins think, clothes do not make the person. My father does his best for me so what outfits he chooses to wear makes no difference to me."

"A well-reasoned philosophy, wouldn't you say so, dear?" Chiaki smiled at her husband who patted her hand affectionately in return.

"Indeed. Haruhi, I look forward to having you this week."


	28. Visitation Time

A/N: Hey guys, I'm so sorry for the super long delay between chapters. A lot has been going on but I promise I'm not dead and neither is this story. For those who are still with me, I greatly appreciate all your support and to those who have given up, I'm sorry to have let you down. I love all of you and I hope each and every one of you has a wonderful and fulfilling 2019.

* * *

Visitation Time

"Dad, I'm home!" The brunette looked up at the black-haired senior carrying her and the blond senior who was now, to her chagrin and jealousy, walking again. It was Sunday and she had returned home to wait out the last week of her bedrest sentence. Honey was to go back to school tomorrow. The three stitches on her ear had been able to come out at her checkup but unfortunately, that was all. Her side was still heavily bruised, her hand was still wrapped in gauze, and of course, her leg was still in a cast. Thankfully, Honey had loaned her a laptop on which she could still do her assignments. It was much easier to type single-handed than to write single-handed.

After a few moments of silence, she called again. "Mitsu-senpai, can you go and check my dad's room to see if he's sleeping? If not, he may have either taken an early shift or gone out with one of his friends for the weekend." Her short friend skipped off down the hall and cracked open one of the doors.

"Nope, nothing!" He called back as he returned to the others. Mori laid her on the couch and went to put her suitcase on her bed. "Do you want us to wait with you for a while, Haru-chan?"

"No thanks. I think a couple of friends from E-class are coming over in a little bit and I'm sure you guys have a lot of stuff going on. Besides, we've hung out all week, aren't you tired of me yet?" She asked with a laugh. Mori ruffled her hair before going into the kitchen to start making tea. Honey plopped down on the other side of the table.

"Are you kidding? You know you're like a little sister to me and you don't get tired of family. We'll stay here until your friends get here at least. That way, we know you haven't tried to violate your bedrest order again."

"Okay, okay, I admit. That was not my best moment." The two friends chuckled, remembering how, in the middle of the previous week, Haruhi had attempted to get around on her own via the hand grips along the ceiling. Trying to do so with her one good hand…did not go well and she'd had to endure an evening of teasing with a sore bottom. "In my defense, that grip was further than it looked."

"You did end up making it pretty far, I'll give you that. But next time you're over, at least make sure you can use _both_ arms before attempting it again." Mori re-entered the room and handed each their cup of steaming oolong. "Thanks, Takashi!"

"Yeah, thanks. This is exactly what I need right now. In any case, that night still wasn't as awkward as when Mori-senpai's brother came over and immediately asked me out." She laughed, remembering that one. It had been the second day of her stay in the Honinozuka household. School had ended and the group of three had just pulled up when a ball of tall, dark-haired energy bounded through the door and raced through the house until he'd found her admiring the gardens. Honey had been called inside.

" _You're Haruhi, right?" She nodded. "I'm Morinozuka Satoshi, Taka's younger brother. Will you go out with me?"_

" _Er…." She blinked, owlishly, not really knowing how to respond._

" _Oh, come on. You can stand up to Mistukuni in a fight AND you can shut Yasuchika up? You're a girl I want to get to know better."_

" _Er…"_

" _Satoshi." A sharp voice reprimanded him from the doors. Chiaki and Honey stood there, both with their arms crossed and eyes narrowed. The boy in question quickly bowed his head. "That was rude and brash. You know better than to treat a lady that way. What were you thinking?"_

" _Sorry, Auntie, I guess I just got excited." He rubbed at the back of his neck and looked down at the startled brunette. "I'm sorry, Haruhi, I got carried away. I still want to get to know you better, but maybe as friends first and we'll see how that goes." He felt embarrassed, admonished, and just wanted out of the situation as soon as possible. Only, he knew he was expected for dinner, so he had to sit through an evening of teasing, with almost permanently reddened cheeks._

Honey and Haruhi were both laughing about it now, but Mori still wanted to deck his younger, more abrasive brother. Here he was nearly pining for the girl currently laying across from him, knowing he could never have her, and his brother thought it would be fine to swoop in and try to take her for himself upon the first introduction. Yet Mori knew his brother meant no harm and wasn't even that serious about his request.

"Yeah, that one was funny. It's going to be so quiet, now that you're gone, Haru-chan. Last week was so much fun! We'll have to do it again! Besides, I want a rematch."

"Bad idea, Mitsu-senpai. Can you imagine Tamaki-senpai's reaction if he found out? I really don't want to have to put our friend in the hospital just to get him off of me. And the twins? I don't even want to think about it. You guys and your brothers are welcome over here whenever you want but I don't foresee any more sleepovers in the near future."

His face fell. "Yeah, you're probably right but you can still come over and train any time."

About an hour later, there was a knock at the front door. "That's probably your E-class friends, we should get out of your hair."

"Can you check first? I don't want to be left alone if it's Tamaki-senpai and the twins. In fact, I'm surprised they're not here already." Her two companions chuckled.

"Sure, Haru-chan but we told them we'd bring you over tomorrow before school so you'll have all day today to rest. We can even come over early to make sure they don't surprise you in the morning."

"You sure are a sneaky one, Sugar-Loaded Surprise. I like it." Haruhi winked, giggling. Her senpai laughed with her. "Hey, will you get the club going again this week? You'll be down one host but tell Kyouya that'll only increase the anticipation and visits for next week and I'm sure he'll cave."

"I can do that! I'll tell Tama-chan that I missed all the pretty ladies and worried they didn't miss me."

"You are devious. Remind me not to get on your bad side." The two snickered again.

A few moments later, Nagisa and Karma strolled into the living room liked they owned the place, Mori following them with an amused grin.

"Yo, Haru, what's up? Still an invalid?"

"Watch it, Akabane. I can kick your ass six ways to Sunday and I went toe-to-toe with the best of the Honinozukas."

"All true, but you can't do anything to me right now, couch potato." She flicked her fingers and Karma's hands instantly covered his eye. "Ouch! What the hell was that?!" The redhead rubbed vigorously at his eye, trying to dislodge the sudden irritant.

"Tea leaf," she replied simply. "Annoying, but not dangerous. Word of advice: don't challenge me, Semi-Senioritis. You'll only get burned." She smirked as Honey, Nagisa, and Mori chuckled. Karma even got a few laughs in once he'd relieved his eye.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. You win," he conceded, blinking rapidly.

"You guys have fun. Try not to kill each other. Haruhi, we'll see you soon!" Honey stooped to hug his friend as his cousin ruffled her hair. "See ya, Karma-chan. Later, Shio-chan! Oh, she's already tried to get up a few times and move around on her own. So make sure you take extra good care of Haru-chan, k?"

"You can count on us. We want her properly healed too," Nagisa replied.

"Yeah, so I can pay her back for _this_ ," Karma grumbled, still clutching his eye.

"Bye, you guys! Take care!" Haruhi called from her spot on the couch as the oldest hosts disappeared from her line of sight. The remaining friends listened for the sound of the door to close. Once it did, Nagisa went to lock it and they got down to business.

"Ritsu, you know wat to do."

"Already done, Nagisa. I started scanning and jamming as soon as Morinozuka and Honinozuka left. We're good to go."

"Nice job, Moe Box. Way to be on top of things." Karma smirked.

"Thanks, Ritsu," Nagisa interjected as their mobile friend began steaming. He knew if they went at each other, there'd be no getting work done at all. "Karma, have you heard back from Karasama yet?"

"Yeah. He said that since my grades were overall higher, it'd be better for me to be sponsored. Hope that's okay."

"Sure. I'll just 'study' with you guys after your club hours. When are you transferring in?"

"I start on Tuesday. Tomorrow I'm supposed to be taking a tour of the campus and getting used to the place. I'll talk to Ootori about joining the club then. I can take over your old cleaning job to learn the ropes and start hosting when you come back next week."

"Sounds like a solid plan," Nagisa responded. "You can keep an eye on both Haruhi and Ootori. If you see an opportunity, maybe you can take a sneak peek at that notebook of his, see if he has any idea about his father's exploits. If I remember anything from taking notes about Koro-sensei, it's that you keep the best stuff on you at all times. It seemed like Ootori follows the same principle. He always had that black notebook with him las week and from what Haruhi says, he keeps it all the time."

"No, you will not!" Haruhi exclaimed. "I do not want you looking into anything of Kyouya-senpai's. We have no reason to and he is my friend. Ritsu, tell me you haven't broken into his phone."

"No, we're a team. We decide these things together."

"Haruhi, you know we're going to have to monitor him _somehow._ We have the son of the target within reach at all times, we can't _not_ use that resource," Karma reasoned. "I know he's your friend, but you have to think about the mission first, connections second."

"And what if we succeed and he finds out? I don't just lose a friend, or even six. If he finds out I snooped into his personal life to get dirt on his father, he's going to come after me with full force. Full Morinozuka/Honinozuka trained military force. It's not just my friendship on the line here."

"I'm insulted, Haruhi. Do you honestly think I would get caught so easily? I know how to bypass firewalls and encryptions like you wouldn't believe. I can hijack security cameras and motion sensors in my sleep. I bypassed the space station's encryption codes in ten seconds flat. I hid myself from my own creators on day three of my existence. And because I am completely virtual now, I can't be traced. I have no device body to track. There is nothing out there like what Koro-sensei and Itona have installed in my systems. You will be fine if I look at his phone and computer and so will I. If it makes you feel any better, I can send anything I download back to my storage unit on the mountain. My creators made it untraceable too, in case any enemies wanted to try to steal it for themselves. They wouldn't be able to find it to steal."

"Okay, okay, okay, I get your point. Alright, if I can't find anything out just by talking to him, I'll set you loose on his tech. Just let me try first. Agreed?"

Ritsu sighed in exasperation. "Fine. But we'll be able to get a lot more planning done if we know more about our target."

"You can't put your feelings above the mission, Haru," Karma shook his head at her. "The moment you do is when we fail."

"I'm just trying to keep our options open. If I can get him to open up without using invasive measures, he'll trust me with deeper information. The more he trusts me, the more he'll open up and the likelier it is for him to let something slip. I promise, if my way doesn't start working by the end of the month, I'll let you guys use whatever method you want. Just give me a chance."

"Alright, Haruhi. Have your chance but be careful. If he suspects you, we're screwed."

"I know, Karma. Okay, now that we have that taken care of, have any of you given thought to how we'll actually kill him?"

"Make it look like a suicide?" Nagisa pitched. "He may be the head of the biggest zaibatsu in Japan, but he also nearly lost controlling interest to a foreign party. Would have too, if it weren't for his youngest son. You told us he liked to taunt Ootori with the inheritance of the company, right? So to have almost lost it all to a foreigner only to have it saved at the last minute by the son he'd taunted for years must be a humiliating defeat. It could drive him to 'suicide'." He looked at Haruhi, who had the clearest idea of the target they were dealing with.

"Not a bad idea, except for the fact that anyone who knows him knows that wouldn't be like him. I looked into it last week while I was at Mitsu-senpai's house. The Ootori Zaibatsu has never come that close to being bought out before. Yoshio is a strong leader who built the company pretty much from scratch. He's not the kind of guy who would take that route so quickly. Besides, a suicide three months after the event in question? Doesn't make sense. Sorry, 'Gisa."

"No worries. I didn't expect the first plan to be the one we went with. That'd be ridiculous."

"I think one of our old rifles and a bullet coated in poison ought to do the trick. And you won't have to get near him at all," Karma suggested.

"If it were going to be that easy, Karasama-sensei would have just hired Red-Eye or sent in Megu and Ryunosuke," Nagisa replied.

"Oh yeah."

"Poison might work. But most of them are obvious in an autopsy. It'd have to be undetectable. Those do exist but they're either really rare or hard to get to," Haruhi mused.

"If we go with poison, how should we get him to drink it?" Karma asked.

"Don't you remember when Specs crafted that chemistry boost for Koro-sensei?" Nagisa replied. "He said the best way to administer poison was to give it in something as a gift."

"Not all poisons work that way and the best way for a quick kill is to use a needle, but what kind of autopsy would miss that." Haruhi sighed. "What if we released a venomous snake into his bedroom?"

"There's no guarantee something like that wouldn't be found before it had a chance to bite him. It might even bite someone else by mistake. We're trying to kill Yoshio, not some innocent maid or bodyguard," Ritsu said.

"Good point. Any other venomous animals indigenous to the area? Preferably something that acts fast?"

"There's the ōsuzumebachi," Ritsu suggested, before going into research mode. "Vespa mandarinia japonica, or Japanese Giant Hornet, capable of growing up to four centimeters with a wingspan of six centimeters or greater. On average, it is the cause of 20-40 deaths per year due to anaphylactic shock. It is said that the sting of the Giant Hornet feels like being shot with a whit-hot nail gun. While the venom itself is not deadly, the amount ejected by the hornet in one sting is enough to start shutting down organs and would require a quick trip to the hospital to cure."

"That…sounds promising, actually." Haruhi said.

"Very promising. We set one of those little assholes on him, Yoshio won't stand a chance and you won't have to go near him, Haruhi," Karma pitched in, hopeful.

"And it'll look like an unfortunate accident. My uncle's friend got stung by one of those while they were hiking. He didn't die, but it wasn't pretty." Nagisa agreed. "Ritsu, can your old 3D printers make one?"

"A working model of one, yes, but it won't be able to inject venom unless I have a sample."

"Wonder how hard it would be to get a sample," Karma mused, thinking about using some for his own shenanigans. Nothing lethal, mind. Just enough to cause some nasty diarrhea. Now _that_ would be funny.

"It'd be easier to find a hornet than to get ahold of its venom," Ritsu replied.

"I'd rather take on Yoshio than try to catch one of those," Haruhi joked. "At least I know I'd stand a chance against _him._ " The four laughed. "So if we give him poison, it would have to be undetectable. Difficult, but not unmanageable. If we just set the hornet on him though, his screams might attract attention, causing him to get rescued before he's dead. What if we did both? The hornet sting will cover up the fact that he'd been poisoned. The right poison would cause anaphylactic shock which looks like the hornet venom."

"Haruhi, you can be scary when you want to be."

"Proving once again you earned the name Plain Sight," Karma stated, slightly awed. In a lower voice, he mumbled, "and people think _I_ can be sadistic."

"I'll take that as a compliment, boys." She smirked. She started to sit up, wincing at the movement. Nagisa and Karma heaved annoyed sighs and hurried to help. Nagisa placed a couple of pillows behind her while Karma held her up. Haruhi closed her eyes, savoring the sensation of being pressed against her best friend. When he pulled away, there was nothing in her expression to suggest any distraction, but inside, her heart was pounding and she was lamenting the loss of his warmth.

"Honestly, Haru, do you even want to get better? If you don't want to be on this mission, you could just say so instead of injuring yourself further." The red head tweaked her nose in admonishment. She huffed, still trying to get ahold of herself.

"I just forgot, okay? You are not kicking me off this assignment, so stop trying." Karma held up his hands in surrender.

"Ease up on him, Haruhi, he's just trying to make sure you're up for the task and getting you to take care of yourself is the biggest part of that."

"I know, I know. I just hate all the patronizing. I already get it from most of the club and my dad. I don't need it from two of my best friends. I'll be more careful. Promise." She held out her pinky as each boy grabbed it in turn with their own. "So we're all agreed? I get close enough to him to poison him with something that'll cause anaphylactic shock, then Ritsu can release her model wasp and stab him a few times with it." Her friends nodded as the first leg of their operation began to take form. They sat there for a moment in true companionship before Karma's stomach growled.

"What time is it anyway? Shouldn't your dad be back by now?" He asked the brunette.

"Yeah, he should be. If only to stop in before his regular shift." At that moment, her phone rang. Checking the caller I.D., she chuckled. "Serendipity, thy name is dad. Hey dad, what's up?" She answered.

"Hey sweetie, are you home yet?"

"Yeah. I got back a few hours ago. Karma and Nagisa are here with me. Where are you?"

"Oh, those wonderful boys! I'd hoped you weren't there all alone. You be sure to thank them for looking after my precious baby girl. Anyway, there was an emergency down at the bar earlier. Everyone's fine, but it took so long to clear up that it ran into my shift and I won't be home until late tonight. Don't worry about dinner, daddy's taken care of everything. I called Kyouya and asked him to bring you some dinner since you're still not allowed to cook, poor thing."

"Oh, uh, that's not necessary. Really dad, it's okay. I'm sure 'Gisa and Karma wouldn't mind helping out."

"Nope, I won't hear a word to the contrary. That wonderful, handsome boy is probably already on his way over right now. He said he had something to discuss with you anyhow. I think it's just an excuse to see you. Who wouldn't want to spend time with my brilliant daughter? Baby girl, I think you've got that boy wrapped around your finger, you cheeky thing."

"Dad," she called over his gushing and motioning for her snickering friends to quiet down. Getting control of the conversation, she continued, "alright, I'll accept the meal from Kyouya but Karma and 'Gisa are going to stay until he gets here since I can't really answer the door."

"Sounds like a plan. Oh, my daughter is so smart. She's got the brains and the beauty. Haruhi, you are the full package! How could any father ever ask for more?!"

She sweatdropped as her friends struggled to keep their laughter under control. "Yeah, thanks, dad."

"Listen, I'm going to get off here and get back to work. You be good and let those boys take care of you. I'll see you in the morning. I love you. Kisses! Mwuah mwuah!"

"Yeah, okay. Love you too, dad." She hung up the phone and heaved an exasperated sigh. "Well, I guess now, Kyouya-senpai's coming over tonight. Please tell me you guys want to stick around."

"Actually, I've got to get home soon," Nagisa replied. Haruhi pouted. "Mom will be home any minute and if I'm not home within two hours after she is, well, you remember."

"I'll be out of your hair too. Use this opportunity to start getting him to open up. Figure out what he wants you to talk about, and then keep him talking."

"Fine. Will you two at least stay until he gets here?" They both gave their assent and the small group of friends started discussing more trivial things while they worked on homework. For Haruhi, it was a matter of catching up. No one would let her do any the previous week. Karma and Nagisa helped where they could and for that, she was grateful. She knew how long it would have taken her on her own. Forty minutes later, there was a gentle knock at the door. Her last guest had arrived.


	29. Kyouya Makes His Move

A/N: Hey everyone, i hope two chapters this week helps to make up for the months without an update. Again, so sorry for that long hiatus. As always, your reviews are most appreciated. I love hearing what you all have to say, both positive and negative (if it's constructive).

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Kyouya Makes His Move

Nagisa ran to open the door as Karma positioned himself by her head. "What are you doing?" She asked warily.

"Shh. Just watch."

"You can just call me Nagisa. Please," the bluenett's voice filtered to them as he led Kyouya to the living room.

"As you wish. Haruhi, your father asked me to bring you dinner, though I was not expecting you to have company. My apologies, I didn't get enough." His thinly veiled irritation was not lost on anyone as he stiffly set the food on her living room table.

"Actually, Nagisa and I were just heading out. We didn't want to leave until she had someone else here with her. This girl does not know the meaning of bedrest, let me tell you. She tried to get up once already. Anyway, see you tomorrow. Later, Haru." He gently hugged the girl he wanted so badly to call his. Nagisa also bent down to hug her goodbye.

"Bye guys, I'll see you next time!"

Kyouya waited until the door clicked shut before he visibly relaxed. He grabbed plates and forks from the kitchen, then took Karma's place by her head before he started divvying out the food he'd brought. "I hope you don't mind okonomiyaki and takoyaki."

"Of course not," she said, nearly salivating over his shoulder. "Thank you for going through all the trouble. Honestly, you didn't have to. I could have figured something out."

"Like what, Haruhi? Ordering? You wouldn't have been able to answer the door. Besides, it was no trouble. I'm sorry I took so long. My father called me into his study right before I left."

"Well, I appreciate it anyway." He helped prop her up on her pillows and as he pulled back, Kyouya paused, transfixed, his face inches from hers. He'd never been so close to the girl, had never really seen her bathed in the light from a glowing sunset. He was momentarily stunned by the depth of expression in her eyes and the way they sparkled. So many layers of Haruhi, all of them swimming in pools of the purest golden honey. She smiled a little, almost as if she could guess what was going through his head. The expression brought a coyness to her face that on anyone else, would have left him internally retching. But Haruhi? It just made him want to take her face in his hands and-

"You're quite welcome." He returned to his spot by her head. His, and he'd make anyone else regret ever thinking it might be otherwise. But it was too soon, much too soon to try anything with her. If he acted too soon, he would lose her altogether. He cleared his throat. "There was a matter which I needed to discuss with you anyhow, concerning the Christmas Party."

"Oh?" Haruhi tilted her head, fully aware of the effect she was having on her senpai. She wasn't going to lead him on, but there was no harm in tweaking the circumstances to keep him talking.

"Yes, we need to discuss the guest list. If you are familiar with who will be there and what their role is in society, you'll be less likely to become embarrassed or flustered. You won't be at my side for the whole evening, therefore, you will want to be prepared for who might talk to you."

"That makes sense. But I do have one question, senpai."

"And that is…?"

"Why would you go through so much trouble?"

"I'm sorry, Haruhi, I don't follow. If you're asking why bother to teach you about the guests who will be attending, I believe I made myself clear on that."

"I'm asking why _you_ would go through the trouble. If it were anyone else, I wouldn't think twice, however, your previous treatment of me suggests you wouldn't care if I tripped, fell, made a fool of myself. You've been acting differently towards me ever since the start of vacation. Even before I told you about E-Class, but especially after. What I want to know is why. Is this how you treat your friends who don't owe you money? Or is there something else?"

Unbelievable! This audacious common girl saw through him yet again! How much did she really know? How much did she suspect? Acts weren't going to work with Haruhi. He couldn't simply manipulate her like any other circumstance. She was too intelligent, too honed in on her surroundings. He berated himself for not realizing it sooner. If he wanted to gain Haurhi's affections, he'd have to play her straight. Otherwise, she'd notice and call his bluff. Much like she just did. Kyouya pinched the bridge of his nose, preparing himself for something he'd never had to do before: lay all his cards on the table and not hold anything back.

"Why must you complicate things, Haruhi? Alright, here it is. My father did not simply order me to bring an escort. He ordered me to bring you." He paused for a moment, letting that sink in. Taking off his glasses, he looked her in the eye so that she knew he wasn't hiding anything from her.

"The truth is, he wants to meet you again. You impressed him at the festival. Your loyalty and tenacity resonated with him. Later on, when I bought the company that would have gone with Tamaki to Tonnerre, I gave all managerial rights back to him. He took that to mean I 'found something worth more' than his company to me. He deduced that something to be you and has even made a bet with Chairman Suoh over which son you will end up with.

"My father doesn't like to lose and he nearly lost one of his companies. He wants me to date you and has even promised me the zaibatsu if I succeeded. The Christmas Party is to be seen as proof of my progress with you. If you were to learn about the other guests, it would have been evidence enough that we'd been spending time together and talking. Now that you are out as a girl, so to speak, he wishes me to make a relationship between us public."

It was silent between them for a long time after that. No sounds except the scratching of forks on plates as they ate while Haruhi took everything in. She never expected him to spill everything. That was unprecedented. The information swirled around in her brain as she thought of a way to use it without compromising her friendships or the mission.

"Let me see if I've got this straight," she said slowly, the beginnings of a plan starting to take form. She was still mulling over all she had been told and needed to stall him. "Your father was actually impressed with me yelling at him and instead of wanting my head on a silver platter, has made me the butt of a bet with the Chairman, who by the way holds my scholarship in his hand, as to who I would marry, you or Tamaki-senpai? Your father even went so far as to bribe you with the family business just to win said bet and the Christmas party you invited me to is supposed to be some sort of progress report?"

"That is a concise summation of events, yes." Kyouya stared at her, unable to fathom what was going through her mind at that moment. He'd expected her to be furious, to demand that he go and never come back. He was prepared for that. But when she spoke, she sounded more contemplative than anything else. Did he dare hope? He decided to test the waters a little. "I believe I understand your silence. I'll take my leave now." He started to get up when he felt a gentle, gauze-covered hand on his arm halting him.

"No, no, don't do that, just let me think for a few minutes." He nodded, though she paid him no mind. Would she really agree to date him, even after being told it didn't seem much more than his father winning a bet? If she was going to refuse, she would have done so already. Did that mean…but why? What could she possibly have to gain that she cared about? Kyouya didn't dare hope that it was her affections for him after seeing the way she looked at her red-haired friend.

"Okay, I'll do it."

"You'll…wha?" _'Oh how eloquent, Ootori'_. He mentally facepalmed.

"I'll pretend to be your girlfriend for a while. After all, your father did say if you got me to be your girlfriend, he'd make you the successor. He never said anything more than that. So, I'll pretend to be your girlfriend, we'll make the relationship public, we date, you bring me around for a family dinner a few times, he finalizes the will, a few months after that, we 'break up'. You tell him that we mutually decided we were better off as friends. It doesn't have to be a big scandal, neither of us has to risk our reputations by making a scene or risk our friendship by hurting each other's feelings.

"You get to keep the zaibatsu and your father wins his bet because I absolutely refuse to date Tamaki. If your father tries to retract his end of the bargain, you can fire him from the board of directors of the company you saved. After all, you only gave back managerial rights, not ownership rights so technically you still own that company. If he's as smart as I've been led to believe, he'd rather have you as an ally instead of an enemy."

Once again, she'd managed to catch him completely off guard, but if there was ever a doubt in Ootori Kyouya's mind that Haruhi was not the girl for him, that speech silenced it for all eternity. She took the information he gave her and twisted it so that any way it was looked at, the ball would consistently be in his father's court. He and Haruhi would be innocent on all fronts. The only downside he could see was she'd given herself an out. She would _pretend_ to be his girlfriend. He didn't want her to have an out. He didn't want her to pretend. However, if he went with her plan, it did give him ample time to court her openly and without reserve. It gave him time to show her how much he needed her.

"I'm impressed, Haruhi. It's not many who can outwit my father. He is a master at manipulation. I'm sure there'll be hell to pay once he's figured out he's been outmaneuvered, but I'll cross that bridge when we come to it. For now, I accept your proposition. But why did you agree to it?" He _had_ to know her motives if only to know how much work he had to do to convince her of his affections.

"Because if that's all it takes to help you attain that which you've been striving for your whole life, it's hardly a sacrifice. You're my friend and you told me the truth instead of trying to hide it, of course I want to help. Besides, I can't imagine being the fake girlfriend of Ootori Kyouya would be that bad. Who knows? It might even be fun once in a while." She giggled as she nudged him playfully. When he nudged her back, she continued. "I do have one condition, though. Well, two really."

"My girlfriend's wish is my command." Kyouya winked at her and chuckled lightly as she snorted. He knew she thought he was joking, but she was about to see a whole new side of him. If being honest with her had gotten him this far, he was going to dedicated himself to being completely open with her all the time. Even if that meant indulging in his softer side more than he'd ever done before. Somehow, he thought that wouldn't be so hard with her. Haruhi, whose only motive in the duplicity was to help him reach his goal. Of course it was. Beyond anything else, Haruhi was a genuinely good friend who went out of her way to help someone. "What are they?"

"I want to tell our friends what we're doing. It won't go any further than the Host Club and they don't have to know the whole story, but they deserve to know that we're faux dating. I don't want any hurt feelings over this." Though Kyouya didn't know it yet, Haruhi knew that would soon include Karma.

Of course she wouldn't want anyone else hurt. She was such a kind person. It almost made him forget sometimes that she was a trained killer. He smiled. A true Kyouya smile that made her respond in kind. "As you wish. I'll tell them tomorrow. By the time you return to school, everyone shall know that the two of us are dating and the Host Club will know that it's only a set-up." At least for the time being. He had every intention of winning her over completely, he just had to factor in their friends now. "And your second condition?"

"No bodyguards. No tails, no posting men around my building or around dad's bar. I don't like to be followed, it makes me edgy and I don't need to be fighting anyone. You know I'll be able to sense them if you try to tail me without my knowledge and that won't end well for you or your guard. I have a plan in place for my protection and I don't want it interrupted either."

"Agreed, but you will carry a homing device. I can't have my girlfriend getting kidnapped, especially when she can't defend herself."

"No go. I already have a homing device. Isn't that right, Ritsu?"

The pink-haired girl who had been silent up until now brightened Haruhi's phone, smiling. "That's right. Don't worry, Oototi. If anything happens, you'll be the first I contact." Kyouya sighed in resignation.

"Alright, you win. No guards, no homing devices or tracking monitors, you will be entirely on your own, just as you desire."

She grinned. "Thank you."

They became engulfed in a comfortable silence, each consumed by their own thoughts. Kyouya was busy planning how he was going to secure her affections and prove to their friends that he was worthy of them. He was determined to receive their blessing by the school year's end. If he didn't succeed there, he would simply do his best to comfort Haruhi. He would have his position and his girl. His father would end up with the knowledge that his youngest son, the spare son as he was often called, had been the one to defeat him. He was called the Shadow King for a reason and it would all be his.

Haruhi on the other hand, was thinking down a different path. This plan had many advantages. It would guarantee the right person inherits the businesses, it wouldn't compromise her friendships with anyone, it still allowed her to possibly get closer to Karma, and most importantly, it would allow her to get closer to the target than she'd dared hope. Going to the Ootori mansion before the Christmas party meant she had an unobstructed view of the place. It would require Kyouya to give her a tour, which if she knew him, meant she would get to see the private quarters too. Ritsu could scan each and every room as planned but she would gain access to a lot more information from visiting multiple times rather than just one. All in all, it was a perfect opportunity that Haruhi planned to take full advantage of. Yoshio would never see them coming.

"How's your dinner?" Kyouya asked politely, bringing them out of their reverie.

"It's fine, senpai, thanks again for bringing it over. I do appreciate it."

"It really was no trouble. Though while you're my girlfriend, even if the relationship is a rouse, perhaps you should become used to dropping the 'senpai'. You wouldn't fool anyone by calling me that."

"I suppose you're right. Kyouya." She let it roll of her tongue and had to stop herself from habitually adding the suffix. She noticed as she called his given name, his eyes softened and a gentle smile spread across his face. Not his usual smirk, but an actual smile. It was small to be sure, but definite. _'He looks good when he smiles. I wish he would smile more,'_ Haruhi mused, not for the first time. Aloud she said, "that's going to take some time to get used to."

"Precisely my point. You should get in the habit of just saying my name when we're alone so that you don't slip up when we're in public." In truth, he never wanted to hear her call him 'senpai' again. Unless she was bound in those leather straps she'd yelled about. Damn that girl and her vivid, teasing imagery! He took a bite of his takoyaki to distract himself. It wasn't the 5-star cuisine he was used to, but it wasn't bad. "Now, about those guests…"

They talked a while longer, mostly Kyouya teaching Haruhi exactly as he said he would. First, he told her who would be coming and what they did. Then he spent an hour quizzing her. He was pleased to find her memory sharp as a sashimi knife, only messing up twice in the entire 150 guest list. Afterwards, they simply talked, getting to know each other more personally, as that would be expected of a couple, even a fake one.

When Kyouya noticed Haruhi dozing off, he took her plate from her, picked her up in that strange way, and laid her in bed. Returning to the living room, he quickly washed the dishes they used and put away the food before sitting down to his business. When Ranka arrived home, the second year was warmly greeted and offered a spot on the couch for the night. Feeling it would only increase the chances of convincing his father of their relationship, he agreed and sent word for his uniform to be retrieved in the morning.


	30. Informing the Host Club

A/N: Hey everyone, I hope the new year has started off well for you. Here's this week's chapter. As always, your reviews are most appreciated. Please let me know what you think, positive or negative (as long as it's constructive). Love you all!

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Informing the Host Club

At 6:00am, Kyouya's alarm blared in his ear. Instead of turning it off and rolling over as he normally would, he sat up and stretched his stiff limbs, groaning at the sensation of having slept on lumpy rocks. After seeing to his morning routine, he ordered his uniform to be brought over and started preparing a simple breakfast for his new 'girlfriend'. A soft knock alerted him to an early visitor.

"Hi, you must be Ootori Kyouya," the all-too-chipper strawberry blonde in a red and black school uniform greeted when he answered the door. "I'm Kurahashi Hinano, a friend of Haruhi's from middle school. Our friend Kanzaki told us about what happened over her break and since I live closest to Haruhi, I volunteered to help her get ready each day before school this week." The still-groggy second year nodded and let the girl pass. She was entirely too happy for him to deal with at the moment. Sweet, not irritatingly so, but why did she have to skip down the hall humming? Kyouya returned to the kitchen and his humble cooking. He did chuckle briefly as he listened to Haruhi's friend surprise her. His uniform arrived and he quickly changed. A little while later, the two girls emerged, one heavily supporting the other.

"Thanks, Hinano. You know, you don't have to keep coming over. I'm not a complete invalid," Haruhi said grouchily as she took up her spot on the couch again. Her etymologist friend had all but stuffed her into a red, empire-waisted blouse with fluttery sleeves and blue jean shorts that almost couldn't be seen from under the top. Not her idea of a comfortable outfit.

"Nonsense! You're on bedrest for a reason! But just because you're forced to stay put doesn't mean you have to look like a bum. Now I've got to get going or I'll be late but I'll be back tomorrow morning! Adore you, bye!" Hinano rushed out the door before Haruhi had a chance to throw something at her and both knew the brunette would.

"What's all the noise?" Called a very irritable Ranka from his room. "What's that smell? Haruhi, are you cooking? You know you're not supposed to be up and about, young lady."

"Actually, Ranka, that would be me. I decided to make breakfast for you two before I left for school."

"Kyouya! Oh, such a wonderful, thoughtful young man! Give me a few minutes and I'll be right out."

"Take your time, sir, it's not quite ready yet."

"Kyouya, you're still here? Why didn't you go home after I went to bed?"

"First of all, Haruhi, you didn't go to bed so much as I carried you in there. Secondly, I wasn't about to leave you alone in case you needed something before your father had returned. When he did arrive, he deemed it too late to hail anyone and bade me to stay the night. I figured it would only enhance our little facade to my father if I didn't come home last night, so I obliged."

"Oh, thank you I guess. So why are you cooking breakfast?"

"What kind of boyfriend would I be if I let my girlfriend and her father go hungry?" He smirked.

" _Girlfriend?!_ " Ranka burst out of his room wearing his most comfortable t-shirt and sweatpants. "Kyouya-kun, is it true? Are you and my beloved daughter finally dating at last?! Oh, how I've longed for this day! Congratulations, son!" He started shaking the second-year's hand profusely, exclaiming his happiness and best wishes for the young couple.

"Woah dad, calm down!" Haruhi tried to ease his grip and settle his exuberance. "We're only _fake_ dating." At this, Ranka abruptly sank to the floor, visibly distraught. "This is the only way of convincing Kyouya's father to make him the heir so I'm helping him. Once he's been named heir, we'll wait a few months and break up, no big deal."

"Aww but you two would make such a cute couple, and such adorable grandbabies!"

" _Dad,_ I'm not even ready to marry anyone, let alone have kids." She sighed before trying a different tactic. "You don't want to get rid of me so soon, do you?"

"No, of course not! You're my baby girl! Of course I want to keep you here with me forever and ever and ever! But I also want you to be happy and I know Kyouya would bend over backwards if it meant seeing you smile. Then again, he's not the only one, you cheeky girl. Several of those boys would do anything for you. Just keep an open mind." He winked at her and skipped into the kitchen before speaking to the raven-haired teen in a low voice. "Don't give up on her just yet. She's thick-headed but she's not insensitive. If you two are meant to be, she'll come around."

"Don't worry, sir, I won't." The two plated their simple breakfasts and took them along with Haruhi's into the living room where she still lay, bemused by Ranka's rapidly changing attitudes.

"Wow, Kyouya, this is really good. Thank you," Haruhi complimented. "Where did you learn to cook?"

"I wouldn't classify this as cooking per se," he replied, indicating the egg-in-a-basket on his plate. "But if you must know, when I was a child, my nanny thought it prudent that I at least learn a few basic dishes. She said it taught patience and concentration."

"Wise woman that one. I know whenever Kotoko was having an off day, she always prepared a feast, claiming it helped re-center her." Ranka smiled, wistfully. "Then, when she started showing Haruhi how to cook, it seemed to make her better days even brighter. I remember the first time Toko and Haruhi made a cake together. The mess those two made! I'd swear there wasn't an inch of the kitchen that wasn't coated in flour." The trio chuckled.

"I think I remember that!" Haruhi said, laughing. "I think I dropped the bag of flour when I was bringing it to her. I remember feeling like I was about to cry but then she bent down and coated my nose with flour. I threw a fistful of it at her and it all went downhill from there. Don't think we ever made that cake though." The trio laughed harder before being interrupted by a knock at the door. The pounding, incessant nature left none in doubt as to who it could be. Three dark auras seeped into the room.

"HARUHI! ARE YOU AWAKE YET?!" The auras grew darker. Ranka left to open the door. The remaining two couldn't see what was going on, but they could still hear.

"Are you out of your damn mind, boy?" The patriarch seethed. "What would possess you to come over to my house this early in the morning and wake up the whole neighborhood with your migraine-inducing pounding?! You know my daughter is on bedrest so clearly you didn't expect _her_ to answer the door. Which means you wanted to get my attention too."

"Uh, you don't think my dad's actually going to _kill_ Tamaki-senpai, do you?" Haruhi whispered to Kyouya who only shrugged and moved closer to her to protect her from the impending glomping.

"Oh, hello, boys. How kind of you to look in on my precious Haruhi before school. Do come in!"

"I guess Tamaki is down for the count," Kyouya mumbled, causing Haurhi to giggle, much to his satisfaction.

"Haru-chan! I told ya we'd come over before school. Hey Kyo-chan!"

"Hey Mitsu-senpai. Yeah, I just forgot. Thanks for dropping by." She deadpanned at the box the shorter man carried. "Mitsu, is that really cake this early in the morning? Please tell me you're not eating that before breakfast."

"Don't worry, it doesn't count. It's Coffee Cake! It is a breakfast!" Haruhi shook her head, exasperated.

" **Since when do you call him 'Mitsu'?** " The twins asked leaning over her shoulders and stealing her food.

"Since he asked me to, now give that back and go get your own," she replied, snatching her toast and shoving them off.

" **Touchy**."

"Kyouya, mon ami, what are you doing here this early?" Tamaki asked.

"I brought Haruhi dinner and spent the night, then I made breakfast this morning."

" _ **YOU SPENT THE NIGHT?!**_ " Tamaki, Hikaru, and Kaoru yelled at once.

"Of course. What kind of boyfriend would I be if I left my bed-ridden girlfriend all alone until her father came home?" He smirked as an icy chill filled the room.

" _ **BOYFRIEND?!**_ "

"Haruhi, is that true?" Kaoru asked.

"Are you really dating the Shadow King?" Hikaru followed up. They were both stunned beyond comprehension.

"Kyo-chan and Haru-chan are dating?! That's so kawaii!" Honey sang. Mori said nothing. He was frozen. Had the second-year done what they all agreed they wouldn't do? Had he really stolen the Host Club Princess from all of them? Tamaki was just an incoherent babbling mess.

"Have any of you ever known Kyo-kun to lie to you?" Haruhi answered, resting her head sweetly on said teen's shoulder.

" _ **KYO-KUN?!**_ "

Haruhi couldn't hold it in any longer. She laughed hard. Their reactions were everything she could have expected and more. "Consider that _my_ revenge for pounding on my door so loudly this early in the morning," she snorted.

"Wait, so you're not dating?" Tamaki asked, a little too hopefully for her taste.

"Well, yes and no," she replied cryptically.

"Okay, I'm getting tired of this little game of yours. Are you two dating or not?" Hikaru demanded.

"Yes, but it's all fake. Kyouya's father will make him the heir in return for dating me. Apparently yelling at him during the festival impressed him or something. Anyway, it's all a set-up and when the will is finalized, we're going to break up and his father can't back out of the agreement without losing face because Kyouya held up his end of the bargain. Dad's in on it and now, so are you guys."

"However," Kyouya interjected, "if word of this scheme were to leak out, I'll know it was one of you and the consequences will be severe." He let his inner demon start to emerge to back up his statement. "The only reason you are all being told now is because it was one of Haruhi's conditions for assisting me in this charade. I would just as easily have kept you all in the dark so that your natural reactions would give credence to the fabrication."

"Okay, you got it." Hikaru said.

"Mum's the word." Kaoru continued.

" **We won't say anything about it.** " They both pantomimed sealing their lips.

"I'll just be excited for you two, 'kay?"

"Sure, Mitu-senpai," Haruhi giggled. Mori ruffled her hair.

"We've got your back," he said simply.

"Thank you, senpai. Now I do believe we have all trespassed on the Fujiokas long enough. Gentlemen, before we head to school, I'll remind you. Today is going to be a long day. It's the first opportunity anyone has had to confront us about Haruhi being a girl. You'll do well to recall what we discussed over break. If anyone asks a question you don't think you can or should answer, send them to me."

" **You got it, senpai**."

"You can count on us, Kyo-chan!" Honey beamed. Mori nodded in agreement.

"I knew mommy cared about our sweet, lovable daughter! Even if mommy's taking daughter away from daddy."

" _Whose daughter_?" Ranka gritted through his teeth. Tamaki gulped.

"While we'd love to stick around and see how this ends," Hikaru started.

"We really must be going, or we really will be late." Kaoru finished.

" **Later, Shadow Princess!** " They made their way to the front door, followed by Honey and Mori.

"Indeed. Come on, Tamaki. It's time for school. Moron." Kyouya drug the blond by his ear before he could cause any more trouble. "Goodbye, Ranka. Have a lovely day, Haruhi," he called back. The door shut and a peaceful quiet descended upon the household.

"You know Haruhi, for a man only pretending to be in a relationship, he sure is putting forth the effort of one already. I'm just sayin'. Anyway, I'm going to go back to bed. I have another shift this afternoon. Are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah, I think a couple of my middle school friends are coming to keep me company after school. I hope Minami's one of them. I have some chemistry questions."

"That's good. Do you need anything before I go back to sleep?"

"I'm fine, dad. You go get your rest. You look like you need it."

"My precious Haruhi, always looking out for me! How _did_ I get so lucky?" Ranka gushed all the way to his room. Haruhi rolled her eyes and prepared to start in on more of her make-up work.

The rest of the week went pretty quietly for Haruhi. More silence than she was used to. She was productive in her work without the distraction of the twins and Tamaki for 8 hours of the day and managed to get completely caught up on both weeks of schoolwork, though her teachers had given her an extra week to tur everything in. True to her word, Hinano showed up every morning to stuff her into some fashionable outfit or other despite her consistent protests. Tuesday, Ritsu Kasanoda appeared for their scheduled appointment and the two worked out the details of her guard. Though Haruhi had wanted to, she couldn't ask the boy out as she was now supposedly dating her senpai. At least two of her middle school friends came over every day (except Tuesday) after school in order to keep her company and make sure she didn't violate her bedrest order while Ranka went to work. The Hosts inevitably showed up shortly after club had ended, which Haruhi was fine with because it meant she got to see Karma every day.

At her follow-up doctor's appointment that Friday, she was delighted to be relieved of the gauze and stitches around her wrist. She could finally bathe herself again, though she still had to avoid getting her cast wet. She was also told that her ribs were healing up exactly as they were supposed to and that she'd be allowed to return to school as planned. She was granted reprieve from her bedrest sentence as long as she didn't overexert herself and was even allowed to attend Host Club as long as she was sitting most of the time.

She was not allowed to walk home using her crutches or ride the bus as that would require walking to the station, so rides were a must. Kyouya was quick to point out to the group that he should be the only one to give her rides to and from school as it would help their 'dating' case. Haruhi didn't complain because it meant she was guaranteed peace and quiet before being bombarded by the twins and her classmates. The twins surprised her with three female uniform sets and one pair of the Mary Jane shoes. She winced at the puffy sleeves but knew it was unavoidable. One celebration party and one last day of peace left before she started her life at Ouran Academy as an openly feminine student.


	31. Haruhi's First Day Back

Haruhi's First Day Back

Monday dawned on Haruhi bright but chilly. Hinano showed up again to help her into her new uniform, even going so far as to place a pink headband on her and dab on a little makeup. Not much, just a small amount of eyeliner and some lip gloss "to make it clear" she said. Apparently, the dress wasn't obvious enough for her friend even though it showed off her curves to their fullest. At 7:30, Kyouya knocked on her door and was temporarily stunned by the simplistic beauty that stood before him. ' _Then again,'_ he thought to himself, ' _she could make a paper bag look alluring.'_ He helped her down the treacherous metal staircase, grateful for any excuse to touch her, hold her close.

Once seated in the limo, he didn't hesitate to take her hand. When she looked at him curiously, he simply stated, "we should get used to this type of public display." She shrugged her shoulders and let it be. Much as she'd expected, the two teens indulged in a comfortable silence that lasted the whole trip.

"Be warned," he said softly as the vehicle pulled to a stop, "we will cause no small spectacle by arriving together. Everyone knows you are a girl and that you are my 'girlfriend'. To those who doubt it, this will be irrefutable proof. Please be careful today and let the twins guard you. I don't know if there will be problems, but I would rather not see you hurt if there are."

Throughout this whole speech, he had not released her hand. He had, in fact, brought it closer to him as he held her gaze. Haruhi could hear the genuine concern he felt for her in the gentleness and sincerity of his voice, see it in his eyes, and it left her feeling a little overwhelmed with various sensations.

"I will," she whispered, not trusting her own voice. He smiled softly and kissed the back of her hand. She had seen him do the same to countless other girls for the club's sake but she'd never seen him smile the way he did with her.

Without another word, he exited his side of the limo, approached her side, and helped her out, handing her the crutches but holding on to her bookbag, smirking. She shook herself of all the emotions she'd just felt and reached for her bag. His smirk grew as he held it higher. She huffed and turned to the sound of the other hosts racing towards them, pointedly ignoring him. He chuckled silently. It was still so fun to annoy her. The crowd surrounding them on the courtyard was in full-fledged gossip mode now, just as he'd expected.

"Hey Haru," a cocky voice from up in a nearby tree called down. Suddenly Kyouya's good mood plummeted. He'd tried to forget all about the school's newest first year student. The red head had been 'training' to be a host and was performing his role as the bad boy to perfection doing as he was told and purposefully misunderstanding his instructions only to get on Kyouya's nerves. Haruhi turned around and visibly brightened, serving only to sour Kyouya's mood even further. ' _Oh well,'_ he reasoned, ' _at least they can't act too familiar without causing damage to the dating rumor.'_

"Karma, hi! How are you liking Ouran?!" He hopped down, wearing his signature white button-up under a black jacket and grey slacks and his sudden appearance caused a few of the girls nearest him to faint. His bad boy act was going to be very popular, much to Kyouya's annoyance. Still, money was money and they needed someone to replace Shiro.

"It's different, that's for sure," the red-head said, sauntering up to his favorite girl. "But I'm sure I can manage. After all, you did." He winked.

Haruhi rolled her eyes. "Yeah, because I've actually got the work ethic to put in. You, I have my doubts about. You're too much like the twin wonders over there."

Karma, Hikaru, and Kaoru all acted insulted. " **Haruhi, you wound us,** " they all synchronized. This caused further intrigued muttering from the crowd around the group.

"Haru-chan, you look so cute in your new uniform! How was your morning?" Honey asked, showing off his floating flowers to full effect.

"It was okay. Quiet, for sure." She turned a grateful smile towards her supposed boyfriend who returned the gesture, causing a mixture of 'moes' and jealousy to spark. She felt the jealousy and knew then that her caution was warranted. Her suspicions were confirmed when she noticed Mori's focused gaze into the crowd.

"Shall we get you to class, hime?" Kyouya asked, placing a gentle hand on her back to urge her forward. The twins and Karma followed along, appearing to play up their audience but actually scanning the crowd themselves, judging the various reactions.

Once Kyouya had helped Haruhi into her seat, he placed a kiss on the back of her hand, much like he had done in the limo. This incited more flames of 'moe' and jealousy. Karma watched, noting each and every face that might cause a problem. "I'll see you at lunch, hime," the second year said, straightening up only to be forcibly pulled back down as Haruhi grabbed the end of his tie from her seat.

"Now it looks like I'm telling you something secretive and scandalous," she whispered into his ear. She released her hold on him, giggling quietly to add to the effect. Taking a side glance, she noticed she not only had her classmates riveted to her, but her friends too. Hikaru looked like he wanted to punch someone, namely the raven-haired teen still caught in a trance. Karma was smirking big time. Kaoru simply looked shocked.

"Bye, Kyo-kun, I'll see you at lunch," she smiled.

Kyouya cleared his throat, trying desperately to rid himself of the sudden images she'd conjured up with her actions. Who knew everyone's favorite innocent commoner was so devious, so…damned sexy. Well, it was a good thing he was ahead in his classes because he would not be concentrating at school today. With a brush of his hand across her soft cheek, he left.

Immediately, Haruhi's desk was surrounded by her classmates all throwing questions at her left and right. Hikaru was reluctant to help her with the crowd, feeling like she'd brought it on herself. Even though he knew the relationship was fake, it certainly didn't look like it just then and he was not happy about it. Karma and Kaoru glanced at each other and nodded, flanking the brunette and helping to filter the questions. After a few moments, Hikaru joined the brigade. It took several minutes for the instructor to settle the class enough to introduce Karma.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new student joining us today. Akabane Karma is transferring to Ouran Academy from Kanukigaoka High School. Mr. Akabane, would you like to tell us a little about yourself and why you've decided to transfer almost halfway into the year?" He shrugged his shoulders and made his way to the front of the room.

"One of my best friends, Fujioka Haruhi is here." He paused while the entire class turned to her. Being the natural type, she just smiled at everyone, sending girls and guys alike into a titter. "She loves the academic challenge this school presents so when my uncle left me his inheritance, I decided to see for myself. Kanukigaoka, while elite enough in its own right, doesn't offer much of a challenge for me and after that business with the moon monster, well let's just say Ouran has the better reputation." Everyone nodded, firmly agreeing with him before simultaneously looking out the windows to see the recently formed crescent moon which happened to still be out that morning.

"Well, I hope Ouran will live up to your expectations, now if you'll take your seat, we may begin." The only other seat available was in the back on the other side of Kaoru. As he walked back, Karma threw a dangerously sexy glance at the girls he passed making most of them either hyperventilate or pass out completely. They didn't know what it was about him but they were going to visit the host club to find out.

In each class, it was the same. Haruhi would be escorted and assisted by the twins and Karma, chaos would ensue from the moment she was settled at her desk, the teacher would have to shout to call the class to order before introducing Karma. If she had to go to the restroom at any point, she was dutifully followed by an enthusiastic Renge who acted as though she were in some kind of cheap spy movie. All of the attention, all of the questions were tore at Haruhi's patience. Still, she was grateful for her guard as she felt several malicious presences throughout the morning.

By the time lunch rolled around, all four first years were looking a bit worse for wear. Kyouya pulled out Haruhi's chair, much to the entertainment of the onlookers which furthered the irritation of the first years who plopped into their seats gracelessly.

"Oh no, my poor baby girl must be sick and dying, Kyouya! Call an ambulance, quick! Haruhi and her brothers need the hospital and…and…" Tamaki tapered off as he noticed two very dark auras seeping from his best friend and his 'daughter'. Karma was letting out an aura too, but while the demon auras he was familiar with were black, this one was bright red and promised bloodshed if he didn't shut up. Tamaki melted into goop, intending to stay in that state.

"Rough morning?" Kyouya asked, feeling genuine concern for his kohais. He and Tamaki had been pestered, sure, but it didn't appear to be anywhere near the level these four had suffered, and Haruhi the worst. He watched as she didn't pull out her food, but simply lay her head on the table, sighing heavily. He longed to stroke her hair in a soothing gesture but refrained. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't stray _too_ far from his Shadow King persona in public, even towards her.

Karma had no problems showing such restraint and even had the nerve to smirk, knowing exactly how it appeared. The second year was about to say something when he noticed the red-head's eyes glance to the side where he saw several host club guests on the verge of combustion. He understood and let it continue, nearly snapping his pen when he heard the brunette sigh contentedly.

" **You can say that again, senpai** ," the Hitachiins chorused.

"Is Haru-chan okay?" Honey asked as he and Mori approached the Host table. The two seniors had been bombarded with questions for most of the morning. However their youngest kohais looked like they'd been put in a match against Honey's little brother.

"Yeah, fine," she mumbled, not having the energy to do or say anything else. Suddenly there was a plate with the most enticing smells being pushed at her. She lifted her head slightly to find Mori offering some of his lunch.

"Eat."

"I can't take your food, senpai," she replied, pushing it back. Kyouya's hand on hers stopped her. She turned questioning eyes to him.

"You really do need to eat, hime. I don't want to have to send you home early because you fainted. Now, if you won't share Mori-senpai's lunch with him, at least let me get you your own." It seemed like the whole cafeteria was watching them in that moment, with differing reactions.

Most of the cafeteria was struggling to contain its 'moe' flames. Boys and girls alike were blushing or sporting heavy nosebleeds. Several in the audience were fuming, vowing to destroy the commoner for taking 'their' host after seeing how she was treated by the entire club. Jealousy ripped through Tamaki, Hikaru, and Mori, though the latter showed nothing. Even knowing it was all fake, they were not prepared for Kyouya treating their princess in such a genteel manner. Honey looked thrilled by the turn of events while Kaoru sported a frown. Karma smirked internally. He had already figured out Kyouya's game of actually trying to win her over and knew the older teen was falling right into Haruhi's trap. If this was anything to go by, he'd be singing like a canary by the end of the week.

Haruhi shrugged and dragged the tray back towards her. No sense in wasting money on food she didn't have the appetite to eat. Tiredly, she started nibbling. She brightened and hummed at the exquisite taste of food she rarely got to enjoy, much to the amusement of those around her.

Kyouya smirked. "That's my girl." That simple statement brought up memories of Karma texting or saying the same thing, causing Haruhi to involuntarily blush. This led to the entire host club being stunned, thinking Kyouya had managed to make their princess blush. None of them could remember succeeding in that before.

"Haru-chan, you're soooo cute!" Honey squealed.

Thanks, Mitsu," she replied, taking another bite. "Sorry I'm so tired, it's just all these questions and I keep having to give the same answers. Yes I'm really a girl, yes I will host boys and girls, yes I'm dating Kyouya, yes Karma's a commoner just like me, yes I am skilled in martial arts, and yes Mitsu and I got hurt fighting each other. No matter how many times I give those answers, there's someone else asking the same questions."

"It's okay, Haru-chan, we understand." Honey beamed.

"Indeed, we're all being grilled as well. If you need to, I can get you out of your next class. You may go into the clubroom and rest, no one will disturb you. You really shouldn't be overexerting yourself anyway and this could be classified as overexertion."

It was a real toss-up between wanting to escape the questions and stares and not wanting to miss anymore class than she already had. If she rested now, she'd have the energy for the Host Club later. If she didn't rest, she might well fall asleep in the middle of club time. Fake boyfriend or no, Haruhi didn't think Kyouya would let her off with just a warning if that happened. With that final thought, she nodded.

"I think that sounds like a good idea, actually. Hikaru, Kaoru, would you take my work to our next teacher and bring me the work and notes for today later?"

" **Sure thing**."

"Wish we could join you," Hikaru said, siding up on her left.

"It would be super cozy with all three of us," Kaoru mimicked his brother on her right.

" **We wouldn't be sleeping though**."

"Buzz off," Haruhi replied, dispassionately shoving them away.

"UNHAND MY DAUGHTER, YOU INSUFFERABLE INGRATES! How dare you suggest my baby girl would ever do such an immoral thing! Don't worry, Haruhi, I will protect you from these heathens! You shall simply sleep with daddy so that I can make sure you're safe."

"Not on your life, senpai. Now will you shut up and sit down before Kyouya makes you?"

"My dearest Haruhi, mommy would never hurt daddy. Mommy loves daddy too much to hurt him!" Haruhi looked at 'mommy'. The second year nodded at Mori who came around the table and picked Haruhi up, carrying her out of the cafeteria the way he had in the jungle resort, causing quite the stir among the people watching them. Honey followed with her crutches and bag, giggling delightedly.

"Do I want to know what's going to happen in there?" She asked, glancing up at the tall senior. He returned her glance, skeptically. "No, you're right, I probably don't. You can put me down now though." He shook his head. Haruhi huffed but seemed content to lean into him. She was nodding off before they even reached the clubroom. The morning had worn her out more than she'd expected. She didn't notice the gentle smile gracing her senpai's stoic face. Honey did though, as did the few passerby they happened upon.

The two seniors laid her down on the couch where Honey usually took his naps and covered her up. Honey placed Usa-chan in the crook of her arm and they both smiled as they watched her snuggle into the bunny. Mori snapped a picture on his phone, believing he'd never see a sight like this again and looked around the empty clubroom. Sure, the door would be locked once they left for their class but did he really trust those students whose jealousy he could feel? The answer was hell no.

Honey saw the look of worry on his cousin's face and knew what he was thinking about. He, too, had felt the jealous and angry stares of some of the students. "I'll go to class and tell teacher that you're taking care of our clubmember, kay?" Mori nodded and sent a text to Kyouya, while watching Honey bounce out of the room. Receiving the affirmative from the Shadow King, he sat down across from their princess, facing the door, vowing to protect her at all costs. He contented himself with watching the expressions play across her face as she slept.

The next hour, Kyouya arrived and they attempted to wake her up. The brunette sat up, blinked unseeingly at them, and promptly fell over again, causing both young men to chuckle. The second year offered to stay with her. Mori nodded and left for his next class. Kyouya pulled out his laptop and started working. About twenty minutes later, Haruhi groaned and started waking up on her own. Yawning, she sat up and looked around before her bleary eyes settled on Kyouya, confused.

"We tried to wake you for your next class but you adamantly refused to comply. Mori-senpai had an exam so I took his place." He watched as she nodded and stretched her limbs. When she picked up the pink bunny and held it close, drawing her legs up, he became concerned. He put down his computer and moved to sit next to her, putting a comforting arm around her shoulders. "What's wrong? And don't insult my intelligence by saying 'nothing'."

"I don't know, I knew it was going to be hard, but I didn't think I'd face so much opposition. No one has said anything outright, but I know you, Mori-senpai, and Karma felt it too. I don't want to get hurt as much as I don't want you guys getting hurt or in trouble on my behalf," she responded, leaning into his embrace.

"None of us would get in trouble. I'll see to that, personally. If you were attacked by _anyone_ , that would be the last time they ever stepped foot in this school. You're right, we did feel the malice as much as you did, and I'm already working on taking care of it before it becomes a problem. You see, Karma has been providing me with a running list of specific students he has noticed who have not taken the news well and I will be speaking to them myself. You will be safe, hime, as will we. That, I promise you."

"Thanks, Kyouya," she mumbled still sleepy, but relieved her friends were supporting her so much.

"Would you like some coffee before your last class or would you prefer to skip it in favor of more rest? You can go home if you think you're not up to the club today, I don't care how many guests have turned out to see you."

"I don't think I want to risk you holding the debt of lost customers over my head," she mused, playfully nudging him, smiling when he returned it. "I think I will stay in here for the remainder of the day, but the coffee does sound good. Would you like a cup too?"

"Haruhi, why you think I would let you get it yourself, I'll never understand. You stay here and I'll be right back. Allow me to host you for a change." He disappeared into the prep room, shaking his head at her.

' _Dad was right, he really is making an effort, but why is he acting the part of 'fake boyfriend' when it's just us? I know he likes me, but he should know I'd never do anything that would hurt my friends and actually dating him would hurt them. Is that his notebook? And his computer? He must really trust me if he left me alone with them. That's good. It means he's more likely to tell me something he shouldn't._

' _How soon should I start questioning him? He'll get suspicious if I ask too many, I have to be subtle and play the long game. I wish he would just go ahead and invite me over for a family dinner. I'm getting antsy. Patience, Haruhi. Breathe. This is not a 'guns blazing' mission. This is a mission of intel gathering and stealth. You've never had a mission like this before. If you act too quickly, if you make any mistakes, it's over for you and your friends.'_

Kyouya came back with cups of coffee for both of them, made to their individual preferences. As he sat down next to his Haruhi, his and no one else's, he entertained himself by watching her expressions and wondering what she could be thinking about. Her far away gaze that held so many captivated now held him. At one point, she breathed in deeply and let it out slowly, closing her eyes, as if she was re-centering herself.

"Your coffee is going to grow cold, hime." He smirked when she jumped. "And here I thought you were supposed to be aware of your surroundings."

"I guess I tend to let my guard down when I'm around people I trust," she replied, grabbing her cup as a distraction. "So, as far as these fake dates are concerned, who are your three bodyguards loyal to: you or your father? Are they going to be reporting everything to him or our conversations our own?"

Momentarily taken aback by the astuteness of her question, Kyouya pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Tachibana, Aijima, and Hotta may be on my father's payroll, but their true loyalties lie with me. Their reports to my father are vague and lackluster compared with what they know. They knew about my plan to seize control of the company out from under Tonnerre's nose. They've known about the club since its inception. They're the only ones who know I've been slipping off to other countries when father was away on business to conduct business of my own. You see, most of my power comes from my family name and resources, but most of my wealth, well that comes from my own personal endeavors in foreign countries. Japan would be too obvious and my efforts would have been discovered long ago had I stayed domestic." His glasses glinted in the light, a sure sign of his pride.

"I get it," the brunette smiled. "You trust them with more than just your life, but your work as well. That's good enough for me. Our secrets are safe with them."

"How did you know about them, anyway? They stay in the background for the point of not being noticed."

"You forget, I'm a trained assassin and I grew up with a dad who likes to keep a close eye on me, I know my surroundings. I know when someone's following me and anytime we're out and I'm around you, there is always the same three presences. I even bought them souvenirs over summer vacation when we were in Karuizawa and give them leftovers when you guys come to my house for lunch or dinner. Don't think I didn't notice you guys following me and Hikaru around either. Or Tamaki posing as the ice cream salesman to give Hikaru that separate cone. Your guards may be subtle but you five are not." She laughed at the memory.

Kyouya was stunned. How had he never realized his bodyguards had so much contact with Haruhi? He suddenly had an insight to her level of composure. She knew his guards and the club followed her around, but she never once gave the slightest indication of that fact. She had remained completely impassive the entire time to the point that they thought her oblivious! He had thought his own composure was impervious.

Thinking back to their mall excursion, he realized he should have known better. Only someone perfectly in tune with their surroundings would have caught on to the fact that he would never have seen the woman's ring from where they were. Other subtle things that she had pointed out started resurfacing in his mind: Shiro's true purpose to court the one he loved, Kasanoda's real desire for friendship, how she'd figured out which twin was which. All the clues were right there in front of him, he'd just never put them together. It made him wonder just how much information her tenacity for observation made her privy to. Plain Sight, indeed.

"Haruhi, you are a wonder. No doubt about it now, I could never let you leave the club. You know too much," he joked.

That's how the rest of the host club found the two as they entered the room: sitting next to each other with their backs to the door, talking and laughing quietly, Kyouya with a genuine smile on his face, Haruhi with her eyes cleared and sparkling the way they hadn't been at lunch. To anyone who didn't know better, they looked just like a happy couple should which made more than a few of them wonder how much of their plan really was fake. Karma grinned and ran forward silently, jumping over the back of the couch and landing between them, interrupting in the most annoying way he could think of. He grabbed Haruhi around the neck and held her in a headlock before he started tickling her.

"H-hey! St-top it!" She managed to get out between laughs. As much as Kyouya wished to throttle the boy for ruining his alone time with the host club princess, he couldn't find fault with learning that Fujioka Haruhi was ticklish. "K-karma-a-a! Knock it offff!" She squirmed harder, only increasing the ferocity of his actions.

"Can't help it," he grinned. "You've been in the building all afternoon and I haven't been able to see you. I need my Haru-fix!" He started laughing along with her as he increased his attack. Most of the others watched on, amusement obvious on their faces. Kaoru and Hikaru were sporting identical evil grins, thinking about how they could use this information to get her to play dress-up. Honey was laughing as much as the two first years. Mori was inwardly chuckling, pleased she was happy and glad that Karma had transferred. Tamaki was pouting and growing his infamous mushrooms because Mori had stopped him from separating the two. Haruhi finally managed to gain some semblance of control long enough to elbow her best friend sharply in the ribs before twisting his wrist.

"Uncle!" Karma surrendered, still laughing. He rubbed his wrist when she released it. "Damn, Haru, I think you nearly dislocated it that time!"

"Serves you right!" She stuck her tongue out at him before laughter bubbled over again.

"Alight everyone," Kyouya interrupted, chuckling to himself at their antics. Though he was trying to prove himself a contender for her heart, he couldn't help but admit the first years were entertaining to watch. "Let's get into positions, club is about to start and we have a very large number of guests to attend to today and the rest of the week, what with it being Karma's debut as the bad boy type and Haruhi's debut as the only hostess. Remember, Haruhi is only allowed to come as long as she doesn't get up and move around so if you notice her supplies running low, refill them."

" **Aye, aye, senpai** ," Karma and the twins synchronized. ' _Honestly, it's like the three of them were separated at birth,_ ' Haruhi thought.

"You can count on us, Kyo-chan!" Honey beamed. Mori nodded and ruffled the brunette's hair affectionately.

"As always, mommy, I will make sure to take care of our little girl. She will want for nothing so long as I am the king of this club!"

"You are forbidden from going anywhere near her. She is just recovering from injury and doesn't need you making it worse by trying to help," his best friend replied, not even glancing in his direction. "And don't even _think_ of running to that corner of yours. The doors will open in two minutes. We have just enough time to get into position. Mori-senpai, would you please carry Haruhi to her area?"

The senior was all too eager to comply. While he was doing so, Karma stashed her bag and crutches in the wardrobe room before taking up residence in his designated area. While Haruhi sat straight and proper, he lounged back, resting his feet on the table. Each Host assumed his or her position and Kyouya pressed the button that opened the door and showered the room in rose petals.

Guests poured in, boys and girls alike, and for the next two hours, none of the eight Hosts had a spare moment to breathe. Haruhi was so busy entertaining both sexes, she didn't even notice how Karma was doing. Mostly, her guests asked her the same questions she'd been answering all morning. Being much more refreshed than she was earlier, she answered them with an enthusiasm that she'd lacked before.

Hosting the boys didn't seem very different as the girls at first. Her natural charm and adoring, earnest smile left them with the same nosebleeds and blushes as the ladies who continued to request her. She even found that some of her female customers enjoyed being flirted with by another girl. The trouble came after around the conclusion of the first hour, after she'd told yet another customer that she was dating the Shadow King.

"You know, you're too passionate for a cold guy like Ootori. I bet I could show you an even better time if you gave me the chance. What do you say, Fujioka?" She held steady as he inched closer, leering at her.

"I'm sorry, so many people here today, your name was…" She trailed off, intending on making a mental note so that he would not be back again. She didn't like the look he was giving her at all. Her breathing threatened to shallow as painful memories resurfaced and she struggled not to show her fear.

"Raiden," he replied, huskily. "Higa Raiden."

His name only served to put her more on edge as it embodied two of the things she was most afraid of. Suddenly there was a gentle hand on her shoulder. A comforting hand. One she knew well. She looked up to see Mori's face pointed towards her but his eyes glaring at the boy and she relaxed. She noticed Higa sit back comfortably and his cool demeanor continued to unnerve her.

"Mori-senpai," she smiled, relieved. The tall senior could see the relief that washed over his favorite kohai and it made him almost shake with anger. He had seen her discomfort from across the room and made a beeline for her as he watched the boy get closer. "How nice of you to join us."

Her intention was clear: please sit with me until he leaves, and Mori was only too willing to oblige. The lady on the other side of her scooted further away so that he might sit between the girls, an ever-present guardian helping his injured friend manage the snacks and tea. It thrilled the girls and it kept _that_ boy at bay. For the rest of the hour, Mori hosted with Haruhi and as soon as clubtime was over, the others crowded around her to ensure themselves that she was okay and congratulate him for being quick to respond and protect their beloved princess.

"I want him banned," Haruhi said quietly, her face downcast.

"Already done. Don't worry, he won't be back and he won't have any contact with you again," Kyouya assured her. He had seen the tail end of the encounter and he was furious with Higa. He already had plans to have the boy expelled with the help of a few well-placed bits of information. Honey stared at her with a furrowed brow.

"Haru-chan, you're not usually one to make quick judgements like that. Is something wrong?"

"Let's just say every girl knows that stare and leave it at that," she replied just as softly. The seven male hosts looked at each other and simultaneously agreed. That boy would never again get close enough to even see the back of her.

"There's something more than just the way he looked at you, isn't there, Haruhi?"

Damn Tamaki and his unnatural ability to cut right to the heart of the situation. With her face still downcast, she squeezed her eyes shut against the onslaught of memories Higa brought up.

"Well duh," Karma covered, thinking he knew what was really bothering her. After all, he was still the only one who knew what really happened to her mother. "His name is _Raiden._ Don't you know what that means? His name is literally thunder and lightning. You know, two things she's really scared of? I'm sure his name combined with the look he gave her were enough to set her off."

Tamaki and Hikaru took that at face value and agreed with the red head as the reason Haruhi was so freaked out. The others were not so easily fooled. They knew their princess well enough to know that a simple name would not have such an effect on her. However, they were also smart enough to keep their mouths shut and their curiosity at bay.

"Everyone, start cleaning up. Mori-senpai, would you supervise them while I take Haruhi home?" He nodded. "Thank you. Haruhi, are you ready to go?"

Kaoru retrieved her crutches and bag from their spot and handed the bag to the second-year before passing the crutches to his friend. She hobbled along after Kyouya without complaint, another indication that her mind was not with them at present.

Karma came over almost as soon as Kyouya had left from dropping her off. The red head asked if she was remembering what had happened to her mother and he was able to cheer her up by having her reminisce the good memories she had of the woman. As he left for the night, he hugged her close and kissed the top of her head, muttering "I will protect you." Haruhi practically melted into his arms in that moment and he left her in much better spirits than she was in when he'd arrived.


	32. Dinner Time with the Ootoris

A/N: Disclaimers: I know it's obvious but it does have to be said at least once, I do not own the characters or the background stories (except Raiden from the previous chapter). Also, I do not personally know French. I used a translator that had a promising reputation, so if there are mistakes there, forgive me. As always, I love reading your reviews and I hope this lives up to everyone's hopes and expectations. ^.^

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Dinner Time with the Ootoris

Thankfully, the rest of the week passed without trouble. True to their word, Haruhi saw neither hide, nor hair of Higa and she was able to relax again. Her classmates and customers still fired many of the same questions at her and she took lunch in the clubroom from then on, but it seemed as though things were calming down by that Friday and she had no further trouble with any of her male customers. Another week went by and she was finally free of her cast, though she was warned to go easy on her ankle at the start. It was now the first week of December.

In order to get back into fighting shape, she started going home with Honey and fighting with him, Mori, and their two brothers. That wasn't testing all of her skills though, so she asked if she could invite her E-class friends. Once given the okay, she met up with no less than three of them per day at the Honinozuka private dojo. They all wore their gym uniforms for old times' sake and worked on all the different styles they had learned the previous year. Honey, Mori, and their brothers all watched in awe as the E-class reps used the entire space to their advantage, locker rooms, ceiling. When they were given permission to use the grounds, it was an E-class free for all. The Honinozuka estate had never heard so much silent laughter. It was in the middle of that first week free of her cast that Kyouya invited her to a family dinner for the first time.

"My father wanted you to be fully healed before he invited you. As he and my brothers are medical professionals, it would not look good on them if they overexerted an injured patient."

"Is my dad invited too or is it just me?" She asked, knowing the answer. He smirked.

"Just you for the time being. My father wouldn't meet Ranka until the engagement party." He winked.

"Do you think we'll have to kiss in front of your family in order to convince them" He considered her for a moment. Kyouya wanted so desperately to say yes, that it was the only way. But he had vowed to himself to be completely honest with her.

"It's possible, though I doubt it. My family prides itself on being discreet, after all. 'Secrecy is the key to a spotless reputation,' as my father always says." _'Sure he does,'_ Haruhi thought, savagely.

In the two weeks since her return to school, she and Kyouya had gotten much closer. She became so used to him showing her physical affection in some way (holding her hand, placing his hand on her back and guiding her, kissing the back of her hand, wrapping his arm around her, playing with her growing hair) that she thought nothing of it when she laughed and leaned against him.

"Alright, what should I wear? I want to be sure to impress them," she replied seriously. Kyouya gaped at her. Giggles bubbled over. "Kyouya, the look on your face!" She managed to get out, clutching her sides. Soon enough, the older teen was laughing along with her.

When they arrived at her apartment, he assisted her up the stairs and produced his own copy of the key. "Your father gave it to me in case of an emergency," he answered her unspoken question. "You go get changed and we'll be on our way."

He made himself comfortable on her couch and waited patiently. He took her leaning against him in the limo as a sign of him getting somewhere with her. He knew all about her return to training and he was impressed by her progress in under half a week. She walked as if she'd never been injured in the first place, her reflexes were well-honed and sharp, and just looking at her, one could tell she was much happier.

Haruhi re-entered the living room to see her senpai gazing out the window, smiling. There was such a gentle expression on his face that she decided to sneak a picture on her phone to preserve the moment. After that, she just watched him for a short while, her heart softening at the sight. She knew she could so easily fall for him. There really was a spark there, a mutual respect and understanding, a trust in each other. But she also knew that doing so would be foolish. Her friends seemed to have gotten used to the sight of the two of them together but what would happen if they learned it was no longer faked? Chaos. That's what.

But many of them seemed to be happy to get her and Karma together for some reason, a goal she could get behind. Being in such close proximity again, their friendship had developed more too. He came over after Kyouya left and when Nagisa joined them, they planned their espionage more. The two boys left together but for that hour or so, it was just the two of them. Nothing ever happened of course, but it certainly reaffirmed her suspicion that she had fallen for her best friend. At the same time, she knew she wouldn't do anything about it at least until after the mission was over. For all his talk of her letting emotions come first, she knew that he would likely be worse.

"Think this is okay?" She asked, breaking the silence. She was wearing a deep red, silk button-up blouse with capped sleeves tucked into a pair of high-waisted, black dress pants and black pumps. Her hair was being held back by a metal band with a black bow. Haruhi was treated to a whole new expression as Kyouya turned his gaze upon her. She had never seen him reveal true lust before.

He was floored. In front of him stood the epitome of a fierce businesswoman. There was a mouthwatering glint in her eyes that promised trouble if she was provoked. Her outfit clung to her every curve and once again, he wondered how anyone could ever have mistaken her for a boy. The person in front of him was all woman and would be all his soon enough. Visions of the two of them in an office building tantalized him and he had to forcibly shake himself before he acted without thought. No other girl in all his seventeen years had ever affected him like this brunette did. No one had ever made him desire the way she had, but damn, between her outfit and her flirting over the past few weeks, she could make a celibate priest have those kinds of fantasies.

"I thought about wearing a dress but it's so cold outside, plus with the wind whipping up the way it is, I didn't want to risk a wardrobe malfunction." She winked coyly at him.

"Hime, you're perfect," he managed to choke out. He was afraid doing or saying anything more would betray the true depth of his emotions and desires. The last thing he wanted to do was frighten her when he felt like she was finally warming up to him. "Dakara sekushi…" he accidently whispered. _'Shit, did I really just say that out loud?'_ He thought. _'With luck, she didn't hear tha- and now she's..blushing? That doesn't seem right, unless…am I getting further with her than I thought?'_ He cleared his throat. "Shall we, then?"

Stepping into the Ootori mansion for the first time, Haruhi looked around her. Unlike the Honinozuka residence which was steeped in history, tradition, and family pride, Kyouya's home had very sleek, modern architecture and décor. There were splashes of color here and there around the entrance hall leading into the rest of the place but otherwise, it was white, sharp lines and corners abounding. It was all so structural and austere. It was so quiet, the heels of her shoes echoed off the walls and ceiling. She didn't really like it and wondered if it was part of the reason Kyouya was the way he was. She noted that he became reserved and tense almost as soon as they exited the limo. Was he really so stressed about her coming over? This was the cornerstone of their plan together and the key to the success of her own.

"There is still some time before dinner is served. Shall we retire to my room until then?" He asked, formally. She nodded, not really sure how to handle this version of Kyouya anymore. He was acting just like he did when she'd first met him.

He led her stiffly through the maze of a mansion, pointing out rooms along the way. Haruhi made a mental note of every door he mentioned as well as every twist and turn they made. She was developing a map in her head just as she knew Ritsu was building a 3D model. The girls would compare maps later as a test to Haruhi's memory.

"This is my father's main office, where he conducts the majority of his business and meetings," Kyouya indicated a richly embossed, solid oak door, clearly meant to intimidate those who stepped inside. It stood out so starkly from the surrounding white. "He has a smaller office for personal business, but it requires a keycode to get in that's known only to him. It's in the east wing, next to my parents' room." He didn't notice her blink as he said that. _'Bingo,'_ she thought to herself. "One of the reasons I want to be named successor is to finally figure out what he's hiding in there. We, however, are going to the west wing, where mine and my siblings' bedrooms reside. If you will follow me."

' _Oh, Kyouya, if you only had the slightest indication of what lies beyond that door, would you be so eager to pass the threshold?'_ Haruhi mused, glumly. At least she knew for sure that for all his faults, her friend was innocent in all of Yoshio's darkest dealings.

Kyouya's room followed a similar style to the rest of the mansion. The furniture was either white or black and it was all sleek and modern. His main space encompassed a large white couch that wrapped around the bookshelf walls leading to his loft bed. A black, marble table was stationed in front of the couch and on the opposite wall, a large television was mounted. A back dresser sat next the closet. In the middle of the room lay a large light grey area rug. Dotted here and there were black vases sporting plants of various kinds. These particularly interested Haruhi as she'd never taken him for a botanist. It was nice to know he had a hobby other than waging monetary wars and collecting dirt on people. She walked the length of the couch, browsing his extensive book collection and Kyouya contented himself to watch her.

This was the first time he'd ever had a girl in his room and he had to admit, he liked the sight of Haruhi wandering about in here. Not that he was going to slip up and take advantage of the situation, he had been very careful with her and was determined to continue to be. He would not give her a reason to distrust him now. He sat at the far end of the couch.

"See something you like, hime?" He asked sincerely. If she liked any of those books, he'd get her a first edition copy of it.

"Perhaps one or two things," she said with a wink. She turned, and he was treated to the gentle sway of her hips at eye level as she walked up and sat down next to him, crossing her legs. It was as if she knew the fantasies he had when he was around her and did everything in her power to conjure more of them! He struggled to keep his composure clear. "So about this dinner, anything I should know beforehand?"

Kyouya cleared his throat. "It appears the whole family will be joining us tonight. My eldest brother, Yuuichi, and his wife, Akari, have flown in for the occasion. My second brother, Akito, and his fiancé, Chizue, are also going to be in attendance. And father would have to barricade the house to keep Fuyumi from coming to see the first girl I've ever brought home."

"Really? I'm the first?"

"Of course. You're the first girl I've dated, period, fabricated or otherwise."

"You've never dated before? I thought you had a whole list of girls you took to parties and such."

"Honestly, Haruhi, do you really see me as the dating type? Yes, I may have preferences for the girls I'm forced to escort to events, but they're nothing more than favors, stepping stones to connections. So as you can see, it caused quite a stir when father said I would have a guest this evening."

"Well, I certainly hope I don't disappoint," the brunette replied with a smirk on her lips and a dangerous glint in her eyes that promised fun. Once again, Kyouya felt an assault on his libido as he struggled to not kiss her senseless. He knew his family was likely to test her fortitude and they were in for a surprise. Fujioka Haruhi backed down to no one.

There was a timid knock on the door as a shy maid's head poked around it. "So sorry to disturb you and your friend, young master, but supper is ready to be served."

"My girlfriend, and you would do well to not make that mistake again." Kyouya glared at the poor girl.

"Yes sir, I'm so sorry sir, congratulations sir." She retreated quickly, the skirt of her light blue uniform nearly catching in the door as it shut behind her.

"That was unnecessary, Shadow King," Haruhi reproved.

"On the contrary, hime, we can't have our plans foiled by the idle gossip of a new maid, can we?"

"She's a new maid in the Ootori family home and you just had to go and frighten her more?"

"She should know what she's getting into. Maids who can't handle the pressure are dismissed and replaced. Father's orders. We only hire the best, of course."

' _Yeah, sure. That's the reason they're replaced,'_ Haruhi thought sardonically. Then again, she had no proof of those suspicions yet. She shrugged her shoulders and plugged in her phone to charge. Taking Kyouya's offered arm, she looked up at him with a grin. "Showtime."

Haruhi had only one thought as she entered the dining hall, seeing Kyouya's family already seated: Show no fear, have no mercy. If they started in on her background, if they tried to act as though they were better than her, she would fight back to the last breath. She held her head high as her heels clicked, echoing off the walls. Kyouya pulled her chair out for her and she sat down delicately, thankful she was on the far end.

"Everyone, this is Fujioka Haruhi." As each person he introduced nodded or waved at her, she graced them with her 'natural' smile. "…my mother, Junko, and you've met my father," he introduced last. Yoshio neither waved nor nodded in recognition, though she flashed him the same smile as the others.

"Yes, I do recall that meeting. It's nice to see you again, Ootori-san." _'Well, nice is a relative term.'_

"The feeling is mutual, Miss Fujioka." The battle of wits had begun. "I'm not sure I recognize your family name. What does your father do?"

"He runs a small business." Kyouya nearly choked on his drink at her answer. They both knew the patriarch had an in-depth knowledge of the brunette and Kyouya was vastly amused by her accurately vague response. If Yoshio wanted Haruhi to reveal information, he was going to have to drag it out of her.

"What kind of business, if you don't mind my asking?" Yuuichi jumped in.

"Not at all. He owns a popular club in town that caters to very specific clientele."

"Impressive. How long have you been dating Kyo-kun?"

Kyouya pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fuyumi nee-san, how many times must I ask you not to call me that?" Haruhi giggled behind her hand.

"Why not? I think it's cute," the brunette teased. He cast her an annoyed glance that she ignored. "In answer to your question, we have been together these past two and a half weeks. Not long, but everyone starts somewhere."

Fuyumi giggled. "Oh, I like her. She's not afraid of you."

"A truer statement has rarely been uttered," he mumbled under his breath.

"Miss Fujioka, I had heard you were a scholarship student at Ouran. Is that true?" Junko's voice was quiet but sounded slightly haughty. Haruhi regarded her wearily but before she could give a response, Akito drew the attention of everyone.

"You're kidding, she's a _commoner_?! I thought her father owned his own business! Little brother, what are you doing bringing a commoner around for dinner?!"

" _Akito."_ Yoshio crossed his arms, glaring at his second son.

"No, it's alright, Ootori-sama. Please, allow me to address this little misunderstanding, if you will." Though no one said anything, the tension was suddenly so thick, one could carve through it with a rusty knife. Yoshio observed her calmly for a moment. Then he gestured at her to proceed. She could _feel_ the astounded auras from the surrounding Ootoris, Kyouya notwithstanding, even if none showed it outwardly. Akito suddenly regretted his outburst.

"You're right, I am a commoner. I am a commoner who worked hard studying to pass the entrance exam and scholarship exam for Ouran Academy. I am a commoner who remains consistently number one in her class as per the agreement. My father does co-own his business. He co-owns a transvestite bar in the middle of the city. He is a single, bisexual drag queen who has worked hard all my life making sure I am provided for. So yes, Akito-san. I am a commoner. But I am far from common."

Every word she spoke was said in a gentle voice, one that might have been mistaken for kindness. The simper that graced her lips might have appeared sweet and innocent. But the way she held Akito's gaze, the gleam in her eyes, threatened great harm if he continued to insult her.

"Now I understand why you like her, Kyouya-kun," Akari smirked. "She's a feisty one."

Her ears pricked at a small sound that distracted her attention for just a moment before she turned to the eldest brother who sat closest to Yoshio.

"Yuuichi-san, that watch is an antique, is it not?"

"It is," he replied, confused. One moment the girl was grilling his second brother, much to his entertainment, the next she was asking him about a timepiece? "It belonged to our great grandfather. He and I had a strong relationship before he died, and it was left to me."

"May I come take a closer look at it? From what I can see all the way down here, it's an exquisite example of craftsmanship."

"Sure, would you like me to pass it down to you?"

"Oh, I couldn't possibly ask you to remove your great grandfather's watch. I'll come to you."

The room was silent as she rose and made her way up the length of the table to hover between the patriarch and the expected heir. More than a few in the room were outraged by her apparent disregard for proper etiquette. After all, if she were that interested, she could have waited until after the meal was over. Even Kyouya was irked, having been so proud only moments ago. Her demeanor had promised fun, not insult.

Haruhi's heart was pounding, though her face remained completely clear. She had taken a leaf out of Nagisa's book and was approaching with the same 'Host Club' persona she had perfected. Nothing to suggest deception. As each step brought her closer to her target, she wondered what she was doing. She didn't want him to know anything about her physical prowess, but she didn't have a choice. This was too close, and she had to seize the opportunity she saw. As Yuuichi held his wrist up, she took it in steady hands and with the gentlest touch, guided it to properly admire the pearlescent face.

As she watched the second-hand tick into position, she smiled gratefully at the eldest brother, released his arm and slowly turned, raising one fist and pulling a knife out of the waistband of her pants with the other in the same movement. In an instant, she had downed the servant who had been refilling Yoshio's glass. Amidst the screams of the ladies and cries of outrage coming from the gentlemen, she pounced on the man, pinning one arm between her torso and his back, grabbing his hidden arm and twisting it until he held the barrel of his own gun against the bottom of his chin, then securing him in that position with her legs. Her knife, she held against his temple. She ignored the gasps and signature 'thud' of someone fainting as well as the harried stampede across the room to get as far from the gunman as possible while still staying close enough to hear.

"I'm going to make this _really_ simple for you," Haruhi seethed, dangerously. "You can either tell me who you work for, or I can force you to splatter your brains all over this pretty marble floor. Now, which will it be?" The man gasped as true fear entered his heart for the first time in decades.

"What's the matter? Don't speak Japanese? _How about English? No? Vielleicht Französisch?_ _¿_ _Espa_ _ñ_ _ol? Peut-être...français?"_ His eyes widened and she grinned evilly. _"Il y est. Maintenant, essayons encore une fois, allons-nous? Qui travaillez-vous et travaillez-vous seul?"_

"What's she saying?" Haruhi heard Chizue whisper to Akito. He shrugged, gaping.

"I believe I can help translate," Kyouya replied just as quietly, internally shaken. There, in front of him, his princess had just saved his father's life and was currently interrogating the would-be killer. He knew she had been trained as an assassin. He had seen the footage from her bubbly mobile friend. He had even watched her fight her best friend while dangling off the side of a cliff! But to see her here and now, he realized that she had only been playing with the red-head.

The pink-haired girl had only shown him the barest surface of what she and her middle school friends were truly capable of. This was a fully trained assassin in her element. Forget dangerous, she was deadly. None of them had suspected a thing as she'd walked up behind his brother! Kyouya thought he'd had a grasp of her composure before, but he was sorely mistaken.

At the same time, he couldn't help thinking that Fujioka Haruhi was the sexiest woman alive. He cursed his hormones. How could that possibly cross his mind when she was still in danger?! Regardless, seeing the bloodlust in her eyes as she lunged at the failed killer, witnessing that millisecond shift when she turned from innocent to lethal, watching her enemy submit to her physical manipulations, beholding her wildcat-like attack, left him wanting to take her here and now, even as she fought to protect their lives.

"In French, she said, and I quote: There it is. Now, let's try this again, shall we? Who do you work for and are you working alone?" He continued to speak low in the hopes of not distracting her. He didn't know what else to do. If he tried to intervene, he could end up endangering her life and the lives of his family. He had to trust that she knew what she was doing and would get them all out alive.

"She's _interrogating_ him?!" Yuuichi demanded, still a little green due to how close he was to being killed and Haruhi's very descriptive second option.

"Yes, and if you'd _shut up_ , I might be able to get somewhere," the brunette shot at them. Turning back to her prey, she pressed the blade into his temple, drawing a trickle of blood. The man yelled in pain as his eyes rolled back.

"Oh my god!" Chizue exclaimed at the sight. Haruhi barely restrained rolling her own eyes in exasperation.

" _Je vous le redemande, et ne me faites pas répéter une troisième fois: pour qui travaillez-vous et travaillez-vous seul?"_ She echoed her previous question. Once again, she heard Kyouya act as a translator. Thankfully, he had enough sense to stay quiet so that she could concentrate.

"I'll ask again, and don't make me repeat myself a third time: who do you work for and are you working alone?" Yuuichi's green color returned as he continued fanning his wife.

" _Tu peux aussi bien me tuer, ma fille. Elle le fera quand elle me contactera."_

"You may as well kill me, girl. She will when she gets ahold of me" Haruhi's audience looked at their resident translator sharply. _She?!_

Haruhi sighed. " _Je t'avais prévenu de ne pas me faire répéter une troisième fois."_

"I warned you not to make me repeat myself a third time," Kyouya recited, his stomach already reeling. They watched in horror as she twisted her knife and calmly severed his ear from bottom to top. Yuuichi heaved, losing his dinner. Chizue fainted as the man screamed, thrashing his body, blood gushing over Haruhi and the floor. Akito, Yoshio, Fuyumi, and Kyouya couldn't turn away from the sight. All four of them were transfixed. The brunette turned her knife again and held it this time, against an artery on the side of his neck.

" _La dernière chance. Pour. Qui. Faire. Vous. Travail?"_

"Last chance. Who do you work for?" Kyouya continued to whisper, shakily.

" _T-t-t-onnere."_

Haruhi's eyes widened minutely as she shoved his head away before a bullet went through it. The only thing that kept that bullet from lodging in her own skull was the feeling of her enemy's wrist muscles tighten ever so slightly, the sole indication of him pulling the trigger. She pushed the body off to the side and stood from the puddle she was currently soaking in.

"Fucking coward," she cursed, swiping the bloodspray from her face and flicking it of her fingers. She picked up the gun and opened the revolving chamber. Five remaining bullets. It would have been an Ootori massacre with one survivor, most likely one of the spouses, to take the blame unless he killed her with his bare hands. Haruhi guessed he hadn't expected her attendance. She tilted the gun, letting them drop to the floor, their clatter echoing in the resounding silence.

Looking up at those who remained, her expression softened in to one of worry. "Is everyone okay?" She asked, walking towards them, heedless of the mess she presented and the bloody heelprints that trailed behind her.

"We're fine, all thanks to you," Yuuichi replied, unsteadily. "How-how did you know? W-was he alone?" It was all he could trust himself to get out without following his wife into oblivion. While no stranger to blood and gore, none of them were, to see her slicing him up like a roll of sushi and threatening worse for the sake of information, had him physically ill and seriously reconsidering his profession.

"Yes, he's a solitary assassin. Recall, he said _'she will when she gets ahold of me'._ I heard the click of the hammer being cocked. When I glanced around, he was the only one I couldn't see both hands of and the only one not scurrying towards the kitchen, I'm assuming to serve the next course. That's why I walked slowly, to stall him and give the other maids and servants enough time to exit the room. When I held your watch, I was looking at his reflection and I saw him lock the kitchen door before coming back to pour the wine. How are they?" She asked, indicating the three women currently unconscious.

"They're fine too, they've just passed out," Akito answered, breathlessly. He couldn't believe the details she'd picked up on. No one could. "I'm sorry for insulting your background. Please forgive me."

"Already done. Kyouya, Fuyumi-san, Ootori-sama? How are you three? I trust you heard who was behind the attack. Does that name mean anything to you?" Yoshio nodded, solemnly and the others stared at him.

"Grande Tonnere is a very old, very powerful French family who recently attempted to seize control of one of my most prominent companies. At the last minute, an anonymous backer assisted me in retaining that company. Miss Fujioka, tonight you have saved my life and those of my wife and children. I am forever in your debt. How might I repay you for what you have done?"

"I require no repayment for simply doing what was necessary, Ootori-sama. The two things I wish are to change before going home and for his blood to be tested. I didn't just do all that only to be taken out by disease later." She laughed, humorlessly, intrigued that Yoshio still kept Kyouya's identity in the dark. Haruhi looked back at the corpse and blood-soaked dining hall. "I hope you have a cleaning crew on staff that can be discreet and if there are security cameras in this room, destroy the tapes immediately and personally. I'm sure we'd all rather not have this become public knowledge."

"Don't you worry about that. You go with Fuyumi and get yourself cleaned up. She will attend to your needs. We will stay here and revive the ladies. Kyouya, you may follow them if you wish."

"Fujioka-san, one more question," Akito started. "Why did you have a knife like that on you? You didn't come here _expecting_ trouble, did you?"

"No, of course not! I'm always armed. I may not expect trouble, but I believe every girl ought to be prepared for trouble in case it comes along. Now, if you'll excuse me, I really would like to get cleaned up."

Haruhi bowed before stepping out of her shoes and rolling her soggy pantlegs up. She was eternally grateful for the outfit she had chosen to wear. Her blouse no longer had its sheen but it still held roughly the same color. Her pants hung limply but the same could be said for their color. If it wasn't for her face and her arms and the smell emanating from every fiber of her clothes and every strand of clumping hair, it would look as though she had been doused with water.

She retreated to the table, dampening a napkin in her water and rubbing at her limbs, trying to remove as much evidence as possible so as not to alarm any passing maids. Once satisfied, she followed a surprisingly well-composed Fuyumi up to a pleasantly decorated bedroom down the hall from Kyouya's room. He entered silently behind them.

"This was my room before I got married. I still use it sometimes when my husband is away on business as he is now. My clothes should fit you well enough to see you home at least. The bathroom is through that door. You should find everything you need in there. I'll have something ready for you when you get out of your shower. Just throw your outfit in the bin. I can't imagine you'll want to wear it again, after tonight. Kyo-kun, would you like to wait for her here or in your room?"

He was torn. He didn't know what to feel at the moment. While he wanted to keep her in sight at all times after what had just conspired, yet he had the distinct sensation his sister wanted solitude. Not surprising, her life had just been threatened and the culprit had shot himself in front of her. Perhaps he needed a retreat to his own seclusion too. And Haruhi as well. What was she thinking about all this? Well, he wasn't getting any answers standing here.

"I'll wait in my room. Till then, hime."

The door shut behind him and the ladies on the other side exhaled deeply. Both knew they wouldn't have to keep up a façade around each other. Fuyumi started trembling. Haruhi wanted to comfort her but she was well aware of her state, her ever-stiffening clothes and clumpy hair a constant reminder.

"I'll go get that shower now. Can I keep the door open in case you want to talk?" The raven-haired woman simply nodded.

As the hot water ran bright red, the events of the evening swirled in the brunette's mind. Thanks to her element of surprise, Haruhi had saved the life of every Ootori in that room, including the one she and her friends planned to take for themselves. And she didn't even suffer a scratch. No one could call her a killer this time, either. She didn't end the life of anyone. She maimed him, sure, but she imagined the Ootori police force would have done much worse had she simply turned the man over to them. She was glad her private French lessons with Professor Bitch had paid off and grateful the would-be assassin spoke it and not German or Spanish as she wasn't nearly so fluent in them.

Haruhi thought about how she felt in the aftermath of the attack and how that might affect her future undertakings. The blood and gore didn't bother her much, she knew she would have to encounter such things in her legal profession, so she'd built an immunity to the sight of it by studying the more gruesome cases, but the smell was revolting. That's what kept threatening to overwhelm her senses. She was glad Fuyumi liked sweet-smelling soaps because she was going to use them in excess.

She was relieved Ranka wasn't home before she'd left the apartment. If he'd seen that she came home in a different outfit than she'd left in, he'd be insanely suspicious and she wasn't sure she had the mental capabilities to concoct a reasonable explanation. Between the dinner conversation itself and the following events, she was drained and dreading school the next day where she would have to act as though nothing had happened and she wasn't exhausted. She was afraid of how Karma and Nagisa were going to react. Would they chastise her for saving Yoshio's life? She could have let the man kill him and then intervened. Then they wouldn't have to worry about doing it themselves.

"Haruhi?" Came the soft, still shaken, voice of her companion. "I have your outfit laying on the bed when you get done."

"Thank you," she called out over the water, still flowing pink. "Are you doing alright? You looked pretty upset before I got in here."

"I'm…better. Can I confess something to you?"

"Sure, anything."

"You saved more lives than you realize, Haruhi. You see, I am six weeks pregnant. That's the reason I worked so hard to stay conscious. I had to know that we were going to be safe. I was going to tell everyone after dinner before all that happened. Now I think I'll wait until after things have calmed down to make the announcement."

Haruhi stood, frozen. Seven. There would have been seven Ootori deaths from six bullets tonight had she not acted. And she'd had no idea. "I'm…glad I could help." She pulled out the shampoo and started lathering her hair, careful to scrub thoroughly. The water turned red again as she worked out the remaining clumps. It took another twenty minutes before she finally felt clean again. He would have taken seven lives with only six bullets. That thought kept coming back to her, haunting her. If she had not been here tonight, three generations of Ootoris would have been obliterated. When she turned off the water, Fuyumi averted her gaze and handed the younger girl a large towel, telling her she'd be in the bedroom when Haruhi was ready.

Once she had left the shower, it was only another ten minutes until she was standing outside Kyouya's bedroom door with a towel around her neck to catch the still wet hair. Fuyumi's clothes indeed fit her well enough around, but it was more than a little obvious that the woman was quite a bit taller than her. The blue knee-length dress she was wearing currently fit her like a tea-length dress and the leggings underneath it had to be folded several times at the hems. Fuyumi's shoes fit though. She knocked hesitantly.

"Enter."

"Kyouya? It's me." She stepped into the room, cautiously. He had been so silent throughout the whole ordeal, except to translate her interrogation. Haruhi had no idea what was going through his mind. She didn't know if he was scared, angry, relieved, or if any other emotion took precedence. She could see the outline of his silhouette sitting on the far end of the couch in the dark. He looked up, his glasses flashed. Not a good sign. "How are you?"

"I should be asking you that same question. You're the one who singlehandedly took on an armed hitman."

"True," she replied, timidly sitting at the opposite end of the couch from him. She grabbed her phone from the wall beside her and slipped it into the front pocked of the borrowed dress. "But it wasn't my life he was after. I saw what was going to happen and I had to act. This is exactly what I was trained to do."

He sighed. "I know. And you did an exemplary job of it. But it was you who was in danger. It was your brilliant mind that almost painted the walls. And I could do nothing but watch. Don't you understand how helpless that made me feel?"

She inhaled sharply as her memories once again assaulted her mind. Watching Koro-sensei take on the modified Reaper, watching Nagisa go up against Takaoka, watching her father drunk stumble uncontrollably into the house, and further back, watching her mother waste away after…tears sprung to her eyes. "Yes, I do," she whispered softly. "I'm sorry."

In an instant, Kyouya was at her side, pulling her onto his lap. "Shh shh shh, it's okay," he soothed, rubbing her back. Per usual, this was not the reaction he'd expected. The older teen thought she'd be offended by his chastising and start arguing with him. He kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry, you were so brave and so clever and I criticized you because I was worried." He hugged her tight, pushing her damp hair back from her face. Her eyes still glistened with tears. What could she be remembering, he wondered. He cradled her face in his hands and brushed the pad of his thumb gently over those mesmerizing brown orbs.

"But you know," he continued softer than ever, "when you first sprang like a little devil-cat and pinned him in the same motion, you had never been sexier to me." Her lips quirked in amusement causing his to return in kind. "I'm serious, you've had me wrapped around your little finger on a number of occasions, but in that one instant, I wanted to take you myself and never let you go" She giggled lightly and kissed his cheek, the first initiative she'd taken with him.

"If anything acted as proof of our relationship, I'm sure that would have. However, I think the fact that we're together is well cemented in their minds and we won't have to resort to such methods." She nuzzled into his neck, exhausted from the evening's developments and starting to feel the cuddly effects of her sleeping habits.

"I think you may be right about that. Now shall we get you home before you completely pass out?" He grinned as he felt her nod. Deciding she wasn't much up to walking on her own, he wrapped an arm around her legs and carried her out.

"I'm going to take Haruhi home," he called out to his father. "She's quite tired after everything that's occurred."

"She is welcome to spend the night, Kyouya. It would be nothing to have the maids set her up in one of the guest bedrooms."

The older teen felt his princess shake her head slightly. "I'm afraid her father will become most disconcerted if his daughter does not return home. I guarantee you she will not be telling him what happened here tonight."

"Understood. Will you be staying all night again?"

"Possibly. Certainly until her father gets home."

"Just remember what I've told you."

"Of course, father. Now, if you'll excuse me, I do believe I hear the limo."

"You'd better take care of her, brother, or someone else will," Akito threatened as the front door closed behind them. He meant it too. Chizue meant nothing to him, just some business connection for his father. But Fujioka? After tonight, he realized just how right she had been. There was _nothing_ common about her.

"Not on your life. Brother." Kyouya growled.

Soon enough, Kyouya was carrying his princess into her apartment. While attempting to deposit her on her bed, he realized, she was not letting go. Memories of the beach house came flooding back. _"She'll wake up if you try to detach yourself. You're stuck."_ That's what Karma had said when Haruhi had trapped Mori into laying with her. Kyouya smirked. No one could blame him then, if he indulged in the same pleasure. Kicking off his shoes, he carefully picked his way over Haruhi and laid behind her on top of her thin coverlet, only for her to roll over and snuggle flushed against him, gripping his shirt in her hands. He smiled tenderly and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. There, he passed a deep, dreamless sleep. He would kiss her lips when he knew she wanted him to. He was confident it was only a matter of time now.


	33. Haruhi's Day Out

A/N: The songs used in this chapter are not mine (obvs), but they are awesome and I heartily recommend listening to them. You can find them with lyrics at:

/en/deeper-deeper-%E3%83%87%E3%82%A3%E3%83%91%E3%83%BC%E3%83%87%E3%82%A3%E3%83%91%E3%83%

and watch?v=BHQS-sBDvRI

As always, I look forward to reading your reviews and I'm grateful to those of you who've stuck around with me this long.

* * *

Haruhi's Day Out

The next morning, Haruhi drifted from her slumber warm, cozy, and quite unwillingly. Regrettably, her body refused to comply with her wishes to return to sleep and her large brown eyes fluttered open. Only to squeeze shut again as she prayed to whatever god was listening that she was still dreaming. No way had she fallen asleep with the Shadow King of Ouran. She felt him chuckle as his arms tightened, securing her in place. She opened her eyes, slowly this time, to see his steel grey ones staring at her, filled with amusement.

She groaned. "Sorry senpai," she said groggily. He raised an eyebrow at her. It took her a moment to realize her mistake. "Er…Kyouya. Didn't mean to fall asleep on you."

"You don't hear me complaining, do you _hime_?" He responded, his own voice deep and husky with sleep. He watched as a delicious-looking blush sprinkled across her cheeks. He enjoyed the many different emotions that played in her eyes. Kyouya decided to push his luck. He trailed his fingers slowly up her spine and was treated to Haruhi closing her eyes and near purring at the sensations as her muscles relaxed. When he reached the base of her neck, fully intending on continuing up through her hair, several things happened that stopped his advance. As his nails delicately brushed the patch of skin at the nape, Haruhi moaned, biting her lip and shifting her legs. Instantly, it was like she'd been doused with cold water. She froze, tensing up every muscle that had just been soothed, she gasped sharply, and her eyes shot open, full of panic.

"Kyouya, we have to get ready for school, come on!" She shot from the bed and disappeared into her closet, leaving him laying confused on her bed.

' _Shit,'_ he thought to himself. He didn't know what he had done, but it seemed as though he had just lost every rapport he had worked so hard to gain. The thing was, he wasn't sure what had set her off. She had certainly reacted favorably to his ministrations before that. He huffed in frustration as he left the bedroom. Outside, he had the pleasure of dealing with the last person he wanted to answer to.

"So, you slept in my daughter's bed with her?"

"Yes sir, I'm sorry. When I brought her home, she had already fallen asleep. When I put her on her bed, she-"

"Save it, son. I can figure out what happened from there." The red-headed patriarch crossed his arms, glaring for a moment before relaxing and chuckling good-naturedly. "Relax, Kyouya-kun. She just does that sometimes. I can't count the number of times I've check on her only to find her in rather compromising positions with her girlfriends when they've spent the night. I've even caught her out here in the living room with some of her guy friends from time to time. I'm not upset. In fact, I'm proud of you. You had the opportunity to get under the covers with her, yet you made sure to keep her honor secure. Now why don't you call for your uniform while I fix us three some breakfast, hmm?"

It had to have been the first time Kyouya had been told someone was proud of him, especially a father-figure. His own father hadn't said as much when he stole ownership of the company! Feeling a catch in the young man's throat, he simply bowed and did as he was bid. He started feeling guilty thinking of the brunette who had rushed away from him so quickly. Did he really deserve the praise her father bestowed?

Meanwhile, back in the closet, Haruhi was hard at work calming the rapid beating of her heart. Her hands clasped the back of her neck and she wondered just what on earth her senpai had done! She had never been so overwhelmed by a sensation before! That one little caress had sent shivers down her spine that were far from unpleasant and settled in a region of her body that she did _not_ want to think about. An area that she was afraid to think about. She had no control over her body at all as her leg had lifted of its own accord and she knew it fully intended on wrapping itself around his waist. This was not something she'd wanted to encounter. She was getting _way_ too tied up in this little con of theirs and she needed to back off fast. She breathed deeply, re-centering herself, and exited the closet. _'Eyes on the prize, Haruhi. Focus on your mission.'_

As she was getting dressed for the day, her eyes fell on her phone that she had set on her dresser. When would she have the chance to talk to Ritsu and the others about what had transpired? She also fully intended on talking to Professor Bitch. If anyone knew exactly what went through her at that moment, it would be the well-endowed blonde.

"Haruhi, aren't you going to eat, sweetie?"

"No thanks, I'm not hungry. Gotta go or we'll be late! Love you!" She shouted behind her as she hurried out the door, having purposefully taken too long to get ready.

The rest of the week moved along much as the first part had: Haruhi woke up, got dressed, met Kyouya outside to ride to school with him. She had classes with the twins and Karma, ate lunch in the clubroom, entertained boys and girls for two hours, and rode to the Honinozuka mansion where she met up with some E-class friends to train together. Honey or Mori escorted her home, she did her homework, and went to bed. By the end of her first cast-free week, she felt confident enough that her abilities were back up to par. If anyone noticed a slight shift in Kyouya's and Haruhi's fake relationship, including each other, no one said anything.

The following Monday saw a change in her routine: instead of riding to Honey's, she walked home from school with Karma. They had to plan their next move so she told the rest of the Hosts that they were going to do some Christmas shopping for their third year friends.

"Later, guys!" She called as she and Karma left the clubroom.

"You know they're going to follow us, right?" He asked, itching to take her hand in his. Being in the school made such a move likely to be seen and would therefore cause problems for Haruhi's dating story. Soon though…

"I know. Which is why we are going to meet Nagisa at the mall. We really are going shopping together."

"Plan as we shop?"

"You got it," she replied smirking. "First stop: My apartment. I want to get out of this uniform. It's not the most practical thing for the winter." Karma snorted. They walked in silence until they were about three blocks from the school and the chances of anyone seeing or overhearing them was slim.

"So, we hear from Ritsu that you had quite a good time at Kyouya's house last Wednesday." He nudged her. "Care to share?"

"Not much to share that you don't already know, Karma. There was an assassin, I took him out. End of story."

"It is not, and you know it. How about the part where you spoke fluent French and then sliced his ear off?!" The excited red-head punched the air. "Oh, that was beautiful! Or how about when you acted just like Nagisa with that innocent grin on your face?"

"You flatter me, kind sir." She simpered coyly.

"But the absolute _best_ part of the whole thing was when you stood up and swiped that blood off your face, calling him a coward. Fujioka Haruhi," he said, getting down on both knees and groveling at her feet. "You're my hero!"

The brunette laughed whole-heartedly at his antics. "Get up, you goof or I'll give you an encore performance." He laughed too, rising from the ground and dusting off his grey pants.

"I'm serious, Haru. That was so badass I started drooling on my phone! And it probably went _miles_ towards getting them to trust you. Truly a job well done. Bravo!" He started clapping, over-enthusiastically. She just rolled her eyes.

"Honestly, you're such a gore-whore," she replied giggling.

"Guilty as charged. How _ever_ shall you punish me?" He gave her his most sadistic grin, one that would have sent most other people running in the opposite direction.

"Keep it up and you'll find out." She stuck her tongue out at him.

"You'll have to catch me first," he taunted before taking off running.

"Hey, get back here!" She shouted, taking off after him. "No fair! I'm wearing a skirt! I can't run like that!" He slowed down.

"You were wearing a skirt last year too, don't you remember?" He called back as she caught up to him. "Regrettably, a much shorter skirt back then." He winked and took off again.

"Pervert!" She laughed racing after him. The two of them ran the rest of the way to her apartment, both laughing and taunting each other.

"Think we lost 'em?" Karma asked as they entered her building. She snorted.

"Maybe but knowing them, they'll just be lying in wait at the mall. I'm gonna go get changed now. See you in a bit!"

' _I am so head over heels for that boy it's not even funny anymore, mom.'_ Haruhi thought, grinning as she plopped on her bed to catch her breath. _'Kyouya's a great guy and there_ is _a serious spark, but I just have so much fun when I'm with Karma.'_ She giggled in exhilaration. _'He doesn't try to pamper me or make me feel like I'm some high society lady that I know I'm not. I don't have to act all prim and proper either. I can be real around him. I just wish you were here. There's no one impartial enough that I can talk to about this.'_ She thought back to what Professor Bitch had told her the day before when they met for a late-night coffee. _'Well, almost no one.'_

" _Oh, sweetie, that's called a turn-on, it's completely natural. And it sounds like it was a pretty big one too, lucky." The blonde winked at her. "Don't worry about it. Just because he found it doesn't mean you have to act on it. Let me guess, it's that Ootori boy? He did strike me as kind of a sleaze. Anyway, all it really means is you now know one of the things that a man can do to stimulate you sexually."_

She sighed heavily as she got up to change out of her uniform, having no intent to test it any time soon, but grateful for the information all the same. Not having a mother around really limited her that way. Ten minutes later, she emerged sporting high-waisted jeans and a form-fitting, long-sleeved, maroon shirt that had large silver false buttons following the pattern of a psuedo-bolero. She also wore a black choker necklace with a silver heart pendant dangling from it and tall black boots.

"Damn, you look hot, Haru," Karma grinned appreciatively. He was thrilled to see the alluring pink blush that spread across her cheeks. "Shall we go so I can show you off?" He winked seductively, a move that would have sent his Host Club customers into full on nosebleeds but only made her scoff and roll her eyes.

"Just let me grab my coat and my purse, dork."

"Nagisa!" She called across the mall parking lot a while later to the bluenette that waited for them by the doors. He waved at his two best friends as they increased their pace.

"Hey, Haruhi, what's up, Karma?" They high-fived each other when they got close enough.

"Not much. Been waiting long?"

"Nah, not too long. What do you guys want to do first? Shop or eat?"

"I would rather get the shopping done first so we're not rushing to find stuff before closing time," Haruhi answered, logically.

"Sounds good to me, but I'm going to grab a snack to nibble on," Karma replied. The other two shrugged.

"Fine but we're not carrying your bags for you." Nagisa muttered.

The three close friends turned as one and entered to begin their excursion. The mall during the Christmas season was packed with shoppers and they crowded closer together, the boys holding Haruhi's hands so that they wouldn't be separated. As they browsed the various stores searching for their gifts, they talked. Over the noise of the crowd around them, none of the teens feared being overheard.

"Okay, so what exactly happened last week?" Nagisa asked.

"What do you mean? Ritsu showed you the security footage. You know what happened," the brunette replied.

"I'm talking about before that. Did you get any interesting information at all? How about this for Karasama-sensei?"

"Oh." Haruhi thought back. "Yes, actually, that's perfect for him. Kyouya told me Yoshio keeps a second office for "private matters" but it's guarded by a keycode that only he knows. We can only _imagine_ what kind of stuff goes on in there."

"You don't need to imagine, Haruhi." Nagisa pulled out his phone to see a bundled-up Ritsu grinning evilly at the small group.

"What do you mean?" Haruhi asked.

"What did you do?" Karma asked more specifically. Her grin got wider and they all sweatdropped.

"I hacked into the computer in there. Every computer but Kyouya's actually. Anyway, you wouldn't _believe_ the kind of awful stuff he's got on it. And I have everything downloaded. You guys, we have an in. Oh, there's a sale at that music store! Haruhi, doesn't Tamaki play?" The brunette nodded and they all made a beeline for the shop. "I have the name, email, and IP of his prostitute supplier! I now even have knowledge of what specific kind of girl Yoshio likes best! I could send him an email from the supplier-"

"And tell him he's sending a new girl in-" Karma interrupted, catching on.

"Then Haruhi could pose as that girl-" Nagisa continued.

"And, once alone, I take him out personally," Haruhi completed as she found a compilation of piano sheet music she thought the second year would love. Ritsu nodded, enthusiastically. This was the break they'd been needing! They paused their conversation momentarily for Haruhi to make her purchase.

"There's even a vent where I could send in the hornet after you poison him!" Their bubbly mobile friend explained, once they were back in the crowded hall.

"Ritsu, if I go back and plug you in again, can you hack into that keycode? Without it, we can't get anywhere," Haruhi mused.

"Not necessarily," Nagisa interjected. "If you looked like you belonged until Yoshio found you and brought you to the office, you wouldn't need it. But what are Karma and I supposed to do while you're in there doing the deed? Does Kanzaki still like video games?" Haruhi nodded.

"We're her backup, remember? We're there in case something goes wrong. I think we should all be armed with the poison, just in case," Karma replied.

"Ooh, let's go in there! I bet the kids at Wakaba would _love_ some of these for their classroom!" Nagisa implored.

"That's not a bad idea. He's having a New Year's celebration party for his most important associates and their families on January third. It was on his events calendar. It'll be like the Christmas Party but _much_ smaller. _That's_ our date. Nagisa, you could be undercover as one of the catering chefs. Karma could be a server. You could just get Kaede three gift cards to her local bakery and she'll be thrilled."

"However we take care of the problem, it cannot be gory. Sorry, Karma, but I will blow my cover, among other things, if it is. That smell is repulsive and I can't handle it. Besides, the more gore, the more suspicion and we're trying to avoid suspicion at all." Haruhi warned.

"Good point. Yeah, that sounds like a good plan. Oh, hey! There's a karaoke stand. What do you say, you two, should we wow this crowd?" Karma grinned.

"No thanks, I'll pass. But if you two want to go, I'll watch your bags for you," the bluenette offered.

"Come on, Haru! You know we've gotta do it." His golden eyes shone with excitement and she could not find it in her to say no. She exhaled, smirking, and set her bags down next to her other best friend who was grinning from ear to ear. Haruhi took Karma's hand and pulled him toward the stage.

"Let's give this crowd a genuine E-class show." She thumbed through the options. "There's Deeper Deeper," she suggested.

"Oh Look! They have Death Respect! Now that could be fun."

"First one, then the other if we're called for an encore?"

"Let's do it." They gave their code names and selected song to the announcer.

"Alright, alright everybody! Put your hands together for Plain Sight and Semi-Senioritis performing One OK Rock's Deeper Deeper!" There was some intermittent applause from the group of onlookers. Haruhi and Karma looked at each other and grinned. They were going to rock that mall.

' _Uh-oh. I know that look. For them, it means trouble.'_ Nagisa rubbed the back of his neck.

Across the plaza, a group of six hosts crouched, watching in horror as their princess took the stage. _'What is she thinking?!'_ They thought as one. Then the music started. Karma screamed, getting people's attention.

Haruhi came in, right on cue, head banging to the beat. "Another step up

It's takin' takin' takin' takin' long

Always digging

It's gettin' gettin' gettin' gettin' get it on

Wherever you stand just start to walk

Everywhere you go goes round and round

It's coming back to what I know"

Karma joined in for the chorus.

"The deep, deep, deeper we go

Feeling alone but it's oh so simple

Let it go

Dim dim dim, the light's low

But not blind, I can see the symbol

Let it show

Mighty story, don't hide it from me

Itsu datte hito wa mayoun datte

Kidzui chattatte shiran purishitei you

Soshite good good days"

The next part was all Karma. "Bokura wa umarete kara so ooku wo manabi

Shini chikadzuku ni tsurete ooku wo wasure

Kidzuita toki nya mou hai ni natteru

Ikita akashi wo nokoshite oku ni wa mono janakute"

"Dareka no kioku ni nokoru youna jinsei wo susume shimasu" Haruhi chimed in right before they both headed back into the chorus. By now, it seemed like half the mall's population was cheering for them. They were total rockstars, owning that stage together. Haruhi winked at the audience as she flipped her hair, her dancing causing widespread catcalls from the men. Karma swooped down his hand to high-five everyone in the front before blowing a kiss at the ladies in the crowd, causing most of them to faint.

Haruhi's part came next: "Monogoto ni wa so donna toki datte

Omake no nobishiro ga tsuite ite

Nanika wo kizuki soshite kae koete!

Kiseki to iuna no hitsuzen wo kurikaeshite! Ue e

They harmonized: "We never we never we will not stop right here"

"The choice is yooooouuuurs!" Karma screamed. "So choose wisely."

They joined in together for the final verse. "Do what you do, gotta get through

Hetareteru jikan nante mijin mo naizo

Koukai shinai you ni ikiru

Sonna fuu ni ikitatte kui wa nokoru sa

Nagai mono ni makarete owaru?

Iya sore dokoroka maite owaru no sa

Yosokou sura dekiya shinai mou supiido de

Hora good goodbye

Someday

Someway."

Haruhi and Karma stood back-to-back and dropped their mics in synch to the crowd's screams and shouts. A beat and then they bowed together, waving goodbye. Once they had exited the stage, they high-fived and Karma picked Haruhi up, spinning her around amidst chants of "Encore, encore, encore"

"What'll it be, you kids?" The announcer called down to them. "Are you going to give the audience what it wants?" They looked at each other, grinning. Then they turned their gaze to Nagisa to see what he thought. The bluenette was quick to catch their eye and give them the thumbs up. He could see how much fun they were having and he didn't mind waiting through another song. He was having fun watching them. Still made sure none of their packages were messed with though.

" **We're in**." They told the announcer, much to the crowd's delight. They almost had trouble getting back on stage with the number of people grabbing at them.

"Alright! Ladies and Gentlemen, give it up once again for Semi-Senioritis and Plain Sight, this time singing Death Respect by Mad Trigger Crew!"

Five minutes later, they left the stage again, slightly winded now. Not only did they have a sing-off, but they dance battled each other too, to fit the theme of the song. When they made their way to their blue-haired friend, he picked up Haruhi and spun her around too.

"That was awesome! You guys totally rocked it!" He exclaimed, high-fiving Karma.

"No doubt! Woo! I haven't had that much fun in a while!" Haruhi shouted, partially deaf from the yelling of the crowd. She felt so carefree! She couldn't help it, she punched her fist in the air, laughing in exhilaration.

"Woah, simmer down, there, Rockstar," Karma replied, laughing. "Don't go off touring the country without us!"

"Well before all that happens, how about we get some dinner if we're done shopping. My treat," Nagisa grinned.

"Singing with my best friend and free food? Best day ever!" Haruhi punched the air again, jumping up and spinning this time, much to her friends' amusement. But, they couldn't fault her. They were just as pumped. The two boys wrapped their arms around her and they started off.

The six hosts who remained hidden from the other group shook their heads, unbelieving of what they had just witnessed. Their princess was a rock goddess! Most found themselves nearly drooling while they watched her.

"Where the hell did _that_ come from?!" Kaoru exclaimed, gaping.

"He really does bring out the best in her, doesn't he?" Tamaki mused, feeling defeated, but at the same time, awed.

"I think so," Hikaru surprised them all. He'd watched her with him and Kyouya since the beginning and it was plain as day for him to see which one she was more relaxed around. He might have thought himself a contender for her in that respect, but he knew he couldn't fight and that she fought for fun, among other things. The brunette was not in his cards. "I knew she liked rock music, I play it for her whenever I'm with her through a storm, but I didn't know she liked it that much. Then again, it's possible I never would have. I had my chance with her and I blew it. That's on me."

"Look at her. Haru-chan's so happy over there. Think about it: have we ever made her that happy? We've eased her mind, we've brought her on adventures, we've given her rich food, but has anything any of us done ever made her so happy?"

Kyouya and Mori stayed silent. Mori knew the answer to his cousin's question was 'no'. No, they hadn't. None of them had even attempted to find the things she liked to do. And he knew that if asked, he would never have gone up on that stage with her. He would have regretted it, but he wouldn't have changed his answer. Mori could even see her depleting face in front of him in his mind's eye. He understood, better than ever, that he and his nature were too restrictive for her. She was a fireball waiting to explode and he would have ended up unintentionally caging her wild spirit. And that was the _last_ thing he ever wanted to do.

Kyouya thought he still could make her happy if given an honest chance. Then again, he was currently in the middle of an honest chance and he was messing it up too. If only he knew what had set her off that morning, he could fix it. Then they could get back on track towards his goal. Then he could work towards inspiring that level of reckless abandon from her.

"Well, gentlemen, I think we'd best be headed home. We are doing nothing here but wasting time."

"You know, there's one thing I still don't get," Nagisa mentioned about an hour later as they ate together at some mid-level restaurant the bluenette had taken them to.

"What's that?" Karma asked, intrigued. If there was something his best friend had pinpointed, he was going to hear it out.

"Haruhi, why didn't you let that assassin kill Yoshio before you took him down? It would have saved us a lot of time and energy to not have to kill him ourselves and no one would have blamed you for not being able to save one man after you'd saved all the others."

"I don't really know. I guess I wasn't sure if it was Yoshio who was going to be his first victim or Yuuichi and we're trying to avoid innocent blood being spilled. Maybe a part of it was that it felt like when Shiro tried to take out Koro-sensei after all our hard work. Like we had done all the planning and he was going to take all the credit." He shrugged his shoulders and let it be. Karma scrutinized her a few moments longer. There was something about her answer he didn't like but he couldn't quite put his finger on it and he vowed to keep a closer eye on her when interacting with Kyouya.

"Alright, everyone got their stuff?" Haruhi asked at the train station a while later. It was well after dark and they all had school the next day. Their six collective arms were all loaded with spoils from the day's trip. Her friends nodded. "Okay, see you later then. Text me when you get home, okay?" Nagisa and Karma kissed Haruhi's cheeks and the three parted ways.

Haruhi was practically skipping her way home, thinking about the day she'd had. When she agreed to go shopping with Nagisa and Karma, which was not her favorite activity, she didn't expect to have fun at all. Just expected to get in, discuss their plans, get their purchases and get out. In retrospect, she should have known better. She always had fun when Karma was around, doubly so when he was around his best friend. Add Ritsu into the mix and there was no telling what would happen.

About two blocks away from her apartment, her arms started to drag under the weight of her gifts. Not only did she have to buy for her E-class friends, but also her host club friends and their parents and siblings. She was carrying more packages than either of her friends and it was starting to really wear at her limbs. She huffed, mentally kicking herself for not splurging on a cab. _'Almost there, Haruhi. Come on.'_ She didn't notice the figures stalking up behind her.

Sendou Tetsuya was on his last rotation of his last evening patrolling the neighborhood of his young master's friend. Different members of their family had been doing the same thing for weeks since they found out she might have opposition to the reveal of her gender but so far, none of them had discovered anything nefarious. The young master was pulling them out after tonight and he was eager to be back at the Syndicate full-time. Master Ritsu had really come into his own since he'd started hanging out with the young miss and Tetsuya was thrilled by the transformation. He knew all about the red-head's kind heart and gentle nature and was pleased that others could see it too. The long-haired man turned around for his final trek, whistling, when a sudden cry pierced the night.

 _'Shit, you've got to be kidding me,'_ he thought to himself, taking off toward the sound and calling for backup. He shouldn't have needed to but if this was what he thought it was, he didn't want any mistakes made. The closer he came to the scream's origins, the more he heard.

"-it if you know what's good for you. Get me kicked out of school, and for what? Nothing, that's what. Well, now we're going to see just how good the Host Club Whore really is. After all, it's not as if they keep you around for your money." Screams pierced the night again.

 _'Shit, shit, shit, shit!'_ Tetsuya panicked, urging his legs to move faster. Finally rounding the last corner, they came into view. The young master's friend being held down by no less than four boys with one standing over her, leering at her. She was crying, begging them to stop and trying desperately to shake them off as two of them ripped at her shirt and blood trailed down her face. Her bags and boxes lay strewn across the ally they'd carried her to, along with her coat that was now torn to shreds. The begging confused him. He knew her to be a fighter on par with the famous Honinozukas, but he didn't have time to think about it.

Tetsuya lunged at the four pinning her down, his fists taking them out left and right. The element of surprise on his side, they didn't have time to defend themselves. Thundering footsteps behind him meant that help had arrived and he started shouting orders. These bastards stood no chance and they would take no prisoners. He proceeded to inspect the girl. Poor thing was terrified and flinched as he came near. He held his hands up in surrender as he inched closer, still thoroughly confused as to her reaction. She regarded him anxiously until a spark of recognition lit her eyes.

"T-t-tetsuya?" She asked, her whole body shaking uncontrollably, tears streaming down her cheeks, mixing with the blood that caked there. He nodded, slowly, every gesture indicating he meant no harm. The sandy-haired man stopped just short of reaching out to her.

"May I check your head and cover you up?" He asked, gently, calmly. The last thing he wanted to do was to scare her more. Thankfully, he had experience with catering to an assault victim. They all had. He waited patiently for her nod and when he received it, he continued to approach slowly, keeping both his hands in her line of vision at all times. The first thing he did was take his coat off and cover her pale skin, averting his gaze from that which he was not meant to see. He could see her starting to calm down slightly, a response to his steady actions. He brushed back her hair to take a closer look at the wound that still bled freely.

"No…no hospitals…please," she requested, softly.

"Young miss, this needs to be attended to."

"No…no…please don't…" Her breathing picked up as the stress of the situation brought her dangerously close to panicking. She was crying again, begging her savior not to take her to another hospital.

"Okay, okay, shh, shh, shh. I won't take you to a hospital. Would you be alright with going back to the Syndicate with us then? One of our family members is a doctor." She nodded, relieved.

"Don't…tell…hosts…" she mumbled, her world going black.


	34. Recovery Week

A/N: I think it's fair to say a lot happens in this chapter. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

Recovery Week

 _A rough, callused hand covered her mouth while the other held a knife to her throat as a steely voice spoke into her ear. "You know, you're quite a difficult little slut to get to. Those hosts haven't let you out of their sight since the day we met so you'd better be worth the trouble." Her eyes widened and her breathing became shallow. Raiden. But- no…it had been weeks! She'd all but forgotten about him! She whimpered. "Ah, so you_ do _remember me. Good, good." Why couldn't she move her arms? Why wasn't she fighting back? It felt like her arms were wrapped in chains._

 _She started twisting, throwing her head back, wrenching, anything she could do to get away from him. His partner secured her arms and held her steady. He just laughed and shoved her into the nearest ally where she was grabbed by three other boys who also wanted a taste. But in releasing her to them, she managed to slip out of her coat, flinging her arms around for all she was worth. He slashed at the coat, hoping to get her. He did and it caused her to cry out in pain and fear. His cohorts ambushed her, bashing her head to silence her._

 _"No, please no. Don't do this. You don't have to do this," she begged through the sobs that threatened to overtake her as she fought tooth and nail to keep herself in the present. "Please, DON'T!" She screamed again, bucking wildly against the boy who had just tried to undo the button of her jeans. Another one yanked her hair._

 _"Keep quiet if you know what's good for you. Get me kicked out of school, and for what? Nothing, that's what. Well, now we're going to see just how good the Host Club Whore really is. After all, it's not as if they keep you around for your money."_

 _Fear nearly paralyzed her before sending her body into overdrive as one of the boys groped her chest roughly. "No! Stop!" Two more started tearing into her shirt._

Screams tore through Haruhi's throat as she bolted up, thrashing. The door to her left burst open causing her to scream again, still unseeing.

"Woah, woah! Haruhi!" A gentle hand grabbed her hand. Not hard enough that she couldn't pull away, but enough to get her attention and her eyes flew open. She froze for a moment before her chest started panting heavily and her head twisted every possible way as she tried to get her bearings. "Easy, Haruhi." A second gentle hand started stroking her arm soothingly. "Take it nice and slow…that's it…" She started breathing in the same rhythm as the hand moving up and down her arm.

Once she'd gotten some semblance of control over her senses, she looked around her again, only this time, she could actually take stock of her surroundings. She was sitting in a very comfortable bed, covered in a jade green comforter. The room she was in was comfortable in size and traditionally designed with rice paper walls and dark wood panels. Her gifts sat in the corner. She looked to her left, finally seeing the person who calmed her down. Kasanoda Ritsu gazed back at her, worry the most prominent expression on his face.

The second it registered in her terror-stricken mind that the man beside her was a friend and that she was safe, she fell apart. Heart-wrenching sobs wracked her slender frame as tears fell down her face in droves. The red head said nothing, just rubbed her back, uttering reassurances that she was safe, that she wouldn't have to worry about Higa anymore.

This was standard procedure for the assault victims that came through his Syndicate. Once their safety had been determined, their bodies reacted naturally. He couldn't count the number of children he'd held while they all went through the same thing but he never expected to be consoling his first real friend for that reason. It made his blood boil thinking about what Tetsuya had told him and caring for her was the _only_ reason he hadn't beat the life out of the culprits himself. Something not many people realized about the Kasanoda Syndicate, though they made no attempts to hide the fact, he and his family were the deadliest and most powerful yakuza in Japan because they didn't care what someone's status was. If there was abuse or violence or corruption involved at all, they would be there. Kasanoda Justice was swift, certain, brutal, and public. And this time was personal.

 _'I can't do this,'_ Haruhi thought, crying uncontrollably. Her screams melded with the screams of another in her head. _'I just can't go through this. Not again. I thought I was passed this! I thought this was all over!'_ The screams grew louder as the fresh memories blended with the old until she couldn't tell which was which anymore. Her eyes squeezed tightly closed and her hands went over her ears, trying desperately to block out the sounds that ripped through her mind, tearing it to pieces.

"Haruhi?" Her friend tugged delicately at her hands, trying to peel them away from her head. He'd never called her that before, but then, they'd never been this close either. "Can you please tell me about it?" He was so kind and gentle but she was so afraid of reliving those memories, both old and new. She shook her head wildly.

"I can't. I'm sorry…I can't…don't make me…" Her breathing started becoming erratic again as the panic threatened to take back over.

"Okay, it's okay. Shh, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I would never make you do anything you didn't want to do." She leaned against him, allowing his tender voice to wash over her, calming her once more. He put his arm around her, loose enough that she knew she could break free if she needed to.

"How long has it been?" Haruhi mumbled.

"You've been out a good few hours. It's about midnight now. Doc said it was shock that caused you to pass out. You're lucky. That wound on your head didn't even require stitches." She touched the bandage wrapped around her head, conscious of it only now that he'd brought it up.

"What about Raiden?" She whispered.

"You will never have to worry about _him_ again." He replied darkly.

"Did you kill him?"

"I didn't. But he did not survive."

"Good," she whispered more quietly. He was taken aback, not expecting that reaction from the kind-hearted brunette. What exactly happened back in that alley? "And the others?"

"Not dead, but they won't be talking either."

She nuzzled closer to him, causing a bright red blush to cover his face. "Thank you, Ritsu."

"Do-do y-you want to go home now? I can have Tetsuya take you back. If-if you want." He chuckled nervously, all too aware of their intimate position now that she was finally relaxed.

Haruhi thought about it for a minute. Did she want to go back just yet? If that nightmare and subsequent barrage of memories was anything to go by, she was going to be waking up screaming for a while. Should she subject her father to that again after so long? And what about the hosts? What would they do if they knew she was attacked and none of them were there to save her? She scoffed internally. She knew exactly what they would do. They'd demand she and her father move in permanently with one of them so they could watch her at all times.

"Could I stay here a few days?" She gazed up at him, hopefully.

"Of course! I'd love to-I mean _we'd_ love to have you around for a while." _'Smooth,'_ he thought, mentally smacking himself as he saw Haruhi's lips quirk in a tiny half smile. "Now, I'm going to leave you alone for a bit so I can alert everyone. There are clothes in that dresser that should fit you. Your bathroom is right through that door. My bedroom is across the hall. If you need anything and I'm not there, shoot me a text, I'll answer."

He rose from the bed and all but bolted out of the room. He didn't know how much more he could take, being so close to her, and the last thing he wanted to do was scare her more. He leaned against the wall, breathing heavily. What was he thinking?! She had just been attacked! Her need for protection had proved warranted! She was scared, traumatized, so tiny, so damned _cute_ …Ritsu felt the blood rush to his cheeks again and escaped to his room.

Back in the room, Haruhi missed his comforting warmth. Tears still pricked her eyes but she refused to let them fall. She had three days to push everything down and get back to normal. She took a shuddering breath, still thoroughly shaken by the event and subsequent dream. _'Damnit! This is not going to go away easily this time. I was doing so well.'_

"Ritsu?" She called out quietly. She needed her phone but didn't want anyone to overhear her talking to herself.

"Over here, Haruhi!" Came a muffled response. Somewhere in her numerous bags in the corner, her phone hid. Haruhi heaved a great sigh and made her way over to begin the search. It took some doing but she finally managed to find the right bag and uncover the nightgown-clad pink-haired friend that shared her host's name. "There you are! Oh thank circuits you're okay! I've been so worried! I heard what happened. I couldn't see anything but I could hear it all."

"It's okay, I'm fine. Well, not really but I will be eventually. I think. Hope. Anyway, I need to send out a couple of texts so we'll talk in a minute."

The first one went to all six original hosts: _Hey guys, heads up – a friend of mine is going through some stuff and I'm going to be with them for a few days. Don't freak, I'm not in danger. See ya soon!_ Well, she wasn't exactly lying. Kasanoda probably had some things on his plate and she wasn't in danger anymore.

She sent an additional one to Mori and Honey that read: _Sugar Loaded Surprise, Poker Face, I need your help. Please keep the others from getting too curious about my absence. It's assignment-related. Can't say any more but I need to stay where I am for the time being._ After all, if she hadn't been out planning her attack, she wouldn't have been attacked. Okay, that one was a stretch. She still didn't like lying to them so she used it anyway.

The next went to Karma and Nagisa: _Hey guys, gonna be off the grid for the next few days. If we need to talk about the mission, it'll have to be over text because I can't call where I'm at._ Also not a lie. If she called, anything they overheard could compromise her friend and his family. She wasn't going to take any chances on that.

The final text she sent out was to her father: _Hey dad, why don't you take the next few days off and go see Misuzu? You've been saying you wanted to visit him lately. Don't worry about me, I'm staying with a friend.'_ The advantage to this was two-fold. She would ensure her father remained in the dark about what happened and he wouldn't be bothered by curious hosts.

After sending an email to 'Uncle Yuzuru' explaining the situation and her desire to lay low as well as her request to keep the information to himself, she changed and fell asleep. Two hours later, she woke up, screaming from another nightmare.

The morning dawned bright and early as a bleary-eyed, shaking Haruhi glared at the window. She had not been asleep more than a couple of hours at a time all night. Her limbs trembled with anxiety and exhaustion. _'How am I going to get through this?'_ She asked herself, rubbing at her face. _'Same way you did before, Haruhi. Put it behind you and focus on what you need to get done.'_ Replied an annoying voice in her head. _'Yeah and look how well_ that _turned out. I still had nightmares.' 'True but they dwindled down, eventually. Same thing this time. They'll slow down after a while. You just have to deal until they do and fight it out.' 'Wow, what helpful advice.'_ She groaned, frustrated with herself and went to the bathroom to try to wash away the terrors and relax her high-strung nerves.

Forty minutes later, she stepped out of her room and looked down the hall both ways. She had no idea where she was and had no way to get her bearings. Haruhi knocked on the door across from hers but receiving no answer, she huffed. _'Now what? I could text him but he won't get it if he's asleep.'_ She stood there, debating for a minute longer before her saving grace rounded the corner.

"I'm glad to see you out and about, young miss." The long-haired man smiled.

"Tetsuya, hi. Thank you for saving me last night." Haruhi bowed deeply in gratitude. Who knew what might have happened if he hadn't been there. Well, she had a pretty good guess and she didn't want to think about it.

"H-hey it was no problem," He replied, uncomfortable. He wasn't used to having anyone defer to him. "How's your head?"

"Oh, it's fine. See?" _'On the outside anyway,'_ the brunette added in her mind. She pushed back her bangs. "Hardly even a bruise."

"I am relieved, young miss." He looked at the door she had been facing. "If you're looking for the young Lord, I'm afraid he has been sent on business by his father. He has instructed me to attend you for the duration of your stay."

"He's…gone?" Nerves filled her eyes.

"Yes, but don't worry, you will be perfectly safe as long as you remain on the grounds. I swear to you no harm shall befall you here." She nodded, steeling her resolve. "Would you like some breakfast? And then I'll give you a tour of the Syndicate and introduce the family."

"Sure, that sounds good," she replied, trying to hide her apprehension. He offered her his arm and they set off. Ritsu didn't tell her he'd be leaving. Then again, he probably didn't know. She still felt shaky after her battle with sleep the night before and hoped the food would do her some good. If not, perhaps fighting would loosen her up. "Is there somewhere I can train?"

"Sure. If you want, some of the guys would probably volunteer to act as dummies. Not that they'd have to act, per se." She chuckled as they continued walking in a peaceful silence. "Anyway, here's the dining hall. Because we're all on different schedules, you can pretty much come in here to eat whenever. Find a seat, I'll bring you something."

She did so, looking around as she went. It reminded her of her old second year cafeteria with long tables arranged in four straight lines and a large counter where your food would be served hot by the kitchen workers. Haruhi tried to find a secluded corner spot where she wouldn't feel intrusive but it seemed she wasn't the only one with that idea as all the out-of-the-way places were taken. She was forced to sit in the middle of one table and felt completely exposed. After what had happened the night before, it made her paranoid and she could feel her muscles becoming taut with stress again. Every time she felt someone pass behind her, her whole body tensed.

"Here you go, young miss," Tetsuya said politely, placing her tray in front of her. She jumped at the sound of his voice, and nearly punched him in the face out of sheer reflex. He held his hands up in surrender and backed away. "Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." She sighed, lowering her arm.

"No, I'm sorry. I didn't sleep well last night and I think it's fried my nerves." The young man sat next to her and smiled understandingly.

"Maybe you should try to catch up after you finish eating?" He suggested. "I can personally guarantee you won't be disturbed."

"No, don't worry about it. I'll be fine. If I can practice, it'll help." He shrugged, determined to see to his master's wishes to the letter. If she wanted to fight, he wouldn't stand in her way.

And so the next three days progressed in much the same way. Haruhi would wake up screaming from another series of nightmares, Tetsuya would meet her and escort her to breakfast. Then he'd take her over to the training area where she would fight back the nerves and paranoia either with just her hands or with a knife. She shocked everyone when she asked if there was a firing range at the Syndicate. Haruhi had never been very good with the guns and ammo in E-class. She preferred to stay up close to her target. But she decided that if she could, she would practice those skills too. Once over the shock, Ritsu's 'family members' were more than happy to help her by teaching her a few tricks to improve her aim. She learned a lot in that time and was grateful she'd decided to stay. Haruhi began imagining faces on the shooting targets, an aiming strategy someone reminded her about and it helped even more.

There was a slight side effect to that one though: she started grinning and laughing maniacally after each successful hit. In fact, that's how Ritsu found her the second day. Haruhi was shooting blanks at different targets with a vicious, wild-looking grin on her face and his men standing back, looking unnerved. _'And people think_ I'm _scary.'_ The red-head thought to himself, slightly amused at the sight, and slightly unnerved, himself.

"Dad, you home yet?" Haruhi called through her apartment on Thursday evening. He had taken her advice and flitted off for a visit with his best friend. Silence met her so she shrugged and took her presents to her room to wrap later. She felt much better about not being around her father those first three days. He didn't need to be worrying over her again. She still woke up screaming from a series of nightmares but at least it was only a couple times a night now instead of every couple of hours. It gave her hope that maybe it wouldn't last as long it did after they killed Koro-sensei. She finished catching herself up on the work that Yuzuru sent her (along with a very lengthy email describing how sorry he was that she had gone through that, an enthusiastic entreaty to take as long as she needed to recover, and adamant reassurances of his discretion) and went to bed.

" **Haruhi! You're back! We missed you!** " The twins ran up to her, hugging her on both sides the next morning when she arrived for school.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY DAUGHTER YOU DEVILS!" Tamaki ran after them, shaking his fists. Haruhi spun her way out of the twins' grip and jumped to the side right as the blond reached them, promptly knocking all three troublemakers down like bowling pins.

"Good morning, hime. I trust your friend's situation has been resolved?" She turned her head to smile at the Shadow King.

"Yes, thank you."

"And you're not going to tell us more than that?" She grinned wider.

"Nope. Not my problem to tell." She winked. _'Liar,'_ her mind taunted, savagely. _'Shut up.'_

"Fair enough. Just know that you have a long line of customers to attend to at the club today and they will want to know where you were. I suggest you come up with something to satisfy them."

"Will do, Kyouya. Thanks for warning me." A vision of him laying in her bed crossed her mind and her cheeky grin fell. "Kyouya, do you want to go out with me tomorrow?"

Needless to say, the reactions to this were not subtle. It seemed like the whole courtyard was riveted to them at that moment. Their friends were stunned silent. It had always been he that asked her on dates in public to keep up the charade. She had never asked him before. Were they getting closer than it seemed?

"Of course, hime. Anytime." Kyouya responded, once he'd recovered from the momentary shock. He was worried about the stress in her eyes. Surely she wasn't going to break up with him before their plan was finished. He thought back to _that_ morning and the stiffness that he had noticed since. What had he done?!

The rest of the day passed normally enough and sooner than she'd expected, she was back at the Honinozuka dojo, training with her friends. This proved to be both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because her friends' skills were on par with hers. A curse because they knew her well enough to know she wasn't fighting like she normally did. They kept asking her what was wrong, forcing her to lie and say "nothing".

The question of what she was going to say to Kyouya distracted her a majority of that night, keeping her from sleeping at all, which she was semi-grateful for anyway, as it meant she wouldn't be waking up screaming. _'Can't have nightmares if I can't sleep,_ ' she reasoned, sighing at the headache this was going to create. She still didn't have her answer as she walked out the door the next morning and started her trek to school, cursing the uniform that was so impractical for the cold weather. Haruhi took a different path that day, giving the alley she was attacked in a wide berth. Luckily, she got arrived at school just in time to get to her first class before she was late. She was in no mood to deal with hosts at the moment. Unfortunately, three of them were in her first class with her.

"Haruhi, you're so late," Hikaru accused when she sat down between the twins.

"Yeah, what gives? Did you oversleep?" Kaoru asked, concerned.

"You could say that," the brunette replied. After all, there was nothing stopping them from using that as the reason. The twins let it go and class continued on in relative peace. However, when it was time for lunch, Karma grabbed her arm and told the twins to go on ahead. The twins, who would normally have demanded their toy goes with them, simply shrugged. They'd gotten used to the closeness between the other first years and both secretly hoped this would soon end the charade between her and Kyouya. They liked Karma better. He was more fun.

When the room had been emptied, the two sat next to each other against the classroom door so they wouldn't be disturbed. He locked it for good measure. "Alright, Haru, what's up," Karma started gently as he pulled out his bento. "You know I know you better than to think you 'overslept'. You haven't been sleeping at all. I saw the way you were fighting yesterday and that wasn't you either. So please, tell me what's going on."

She drew her knees up to her chest and rested her forehead on them. What should she do? Should she tell him all about the incident with Kyouya? What about Raiden? What would he do if he knew about that? A warm, cozy pair of arms wrapped themselves around her. When she leaned in, Karma picked her up and placed her on his lap.

As soon as he did that, the dam broke. She threw her arms around him and spilled everything, crying into the neck of her best friend. She couldn't hold back, not when it was him. She told him all about the morning after the dinner, her fear, her discovery, the fear of her discovery. She cried harder when she talked about what had happened on her way home the night of the mall trip. He stayed silent, letting her speak uninterrupted. He rubbed her back and kissed her head periodically, both hands on her at all times so she knew exactly where they were. It wasn't the first time she'd confided her darkest secrets to him and her secrets were indeed dark.

Inside, Karma was craving blood. If she could see his eyes, they were as red as the circle on their flag. How _dare_ Ootori assault his Haru! If she didn't explicitly tell him he could touch her, he had _no_ right to lay a finger on her. That was just common-sense regarding women in general! And it was a damn shame Kasanoda's men got to Higa first because he would have fucking enjoyed filleting that filthy bastard and his goons personally. Every strike, every break of their bones under his fists, every slice of skin from his knife, he was now deprived of. He knew it was going to take a lot of restraint not to act on this and call Kyouya out for his behavior or go after the goons that weren't dead and kill them himself but what Haruhi needed more than anything was a friend and a friend he was determined to be. So restrain himself, he would.

"Shhh shh Haru, it's okay. It's over now. Higa can't hurt you anymore and if any of his lackies ever show their face, I'll take care of them myself. Is that why you disappeared for three days? Because you were scared? You know I was worried about you, Haru. But I understand why you ran after what happened to your mother." He tightened his arms around her to keep himself grounded. He wanted so badly to storm off and publicly shame that second year for his actions. "And as far as Kyouya goes, you know, it is normal to feel sexual attraction to a person. It doesn't mean you have to act on it but you also don't have to be afraid of it. Hell, I feel sexual attraction to you all the time. If you decide you _want_ to act on it, that's totally okay too. It's not like people mate for life anymore these days and it's better for you to have that experience with someone you trust rather than potentially having it forced from you during your part of the mission later. However, that's not-"

Karma was cut off as a pair of irresistibly soft lips covered his. The girl he'd loved for almost two years was currently kissing him for all he worth and it was everything he'd ever fantasized and more. He always knew she was passionate, but her kiss brought roaring flames to life. He always knew she was sweet but her lips left a taste on his that was indescribably decadent. After a moment's shock, he moaned and surrendered to his long-held desires, kissing her back with just as much ferocity as she was showing. He was on cloud nine…no…eleven…feeling her wrapped in his arms, their tongues dancing to an unheard-of melody. But something nagged at him, forbidding him from completely losing himself to her. She was a bit too passionate to be naturally her, almost feverish in her ministrations. When she grabbed his shirt, it clicked. Doing perhaps the hardest thing he'd ever done in his life, he released his hold on her waist and placed his hands gently on her shoulders, separating the two.

"Haru, no," he said, breathless, after all, it was one hell of a kiss. The tears that shimmered in her eyes and the rejection on her face was almost his undoing. "As much as I would love to stay lip-locked with you for the rest of the lunch hour, no. I won't take advantage of you when you're like this. And I won't let you take advantage of yourself either. You are too upset to think clearly right now and this isn't something you would ever do on a whim."

Two tears fell as she leaned in and kissed his cheek. "Thank you," she whispered, tucking her head back into the crook of his neck. Soon, her breathing evened out and she drifted off into her first dreamless sleep in days. Karma was content to hold her for the duration of lunch. Fifteen minutes before it was over, he woke her and guided her to the closest bathroom to freshen up. He still wanted to go after Ootori but Haru wouldn't want him to, so he wouldn't.

By the time they returned, the class had started to trickle back in. Karma picked up his bento and put it away while Haruhi took her seat, feeling much better after their talk and the subsequent…nap. The rest of the day went off without a hitch and she was lively during club hours, looking forward to her date with the Shadow King for the first time since she'd asked him.

She didn't expect Karma to make such a good sounding board, in fact she thought he'd be off on a warpath. But he'd stayed calm, reasoned with her, and helped her prevent herself from making a huge mistake. Not that kissing Karma was a mistake, it was the best thing she'd ever felt in her life but kissing him at that moment was. He was right, she wasn't in her right mind and if they had been caught, it would have destroyed the story that she was dating Kyouya. She thought she had completely fallen head over heels for the red-head but after that hour, she realized she was still falling. The thought made her smile, a soft smile that made every one of her guests blush. Kyouya happened to catch the gentle look with his camera and debated on putting it up online. He had no doubt such a picture would sell high but if his worries about their date were confirmed, he wanted to keep this one for himself.

"Do you want a ride, hime?" He asked after all their guests left for the weekend.

"Hmm? Oh, no thanks, Kyouya. I have a couple of errands to run before I go home and change. I'm sure you want to get out of your uniform too so how about you come by later and we'll head out together?"

"Of course. Just let me know when you're ready." She grinned and thanked him before jetting off.

Once away from the school, she heaved a sigh. She actually didn't have much to do besides figure out what she was going to tell him. Haruhi had already made dinner reservations with Isogai so that she and Kyouya would have the private room of the restaurant he now co-owned with Maehara. He'd come a long way in the nine months since the mountain and they were all proud of their Poor Committee Member. She spotted a familiar-looking figure up ahead and quickened her pace to catch up with it.

"Smog?" She asked, tapping the man on the shoulder. He turned around. Yeah, that was him. Same bulbous nose, same beady eyes and friendly smile.

"Who's askin'?" He looked down and squinted. "Wait, ain't you one of them middle school kids we were hired to kill last summer?"

"Kanugigaoka, yeah!" She exclaimed, excited.

"Boy, you kids have got some skill. Sure gave me an' the others a run for our money. We wondered what happened to you all."

"We graduated and went to high school," she replied, careful not to say too much or get too close. After all, this man was a professional assassin. "What are you doing in this part of town?"

"Business. Some up-in-coming politician or something like that. I don't ask too many questions as long as I get paid. Word to the wise, girl, always get half up front."

"I'll take it to heart," she said with a laugh. "Hey, while I've got you here, do you think you could answer a couple of questions about different types of poisons? I've got a chemistry paper to write, and no one knows poisons like you do." Innocent request followed by flattery combined with an eager grin. Oldest trick in the book.

"Sure thing little lady. What do you want to know?" For the next half hour, they talked, and she soaked up the information like a sponge.

"Thank you so much! This is really going to help flesh out my paper."

"Anytime. We pros are always happy to impart knowledge on those we feel deserve it. Your dealings with Jelavić should have told you that much. Well, I gotta go. Duty calls. You take care, now, ya hear? Come hit us up when you get to the big leagues."

"We'll probably cross paths eventually. I just hope we're on the same side. Goodbye, and thanks again!" He walked past her and she practically skipped home, humming in exhilaration over the new information. Finally! Another break!

Realizing, the time, she quickly changed and texted Kyouya. When he arrived to pick her up, he was once again stunned speechless by her simplistic beauty. A sparkling silver sweaterdress that clung to her every curve and reached her mid-thigh with black leggings underneath and a wide, black belt cinched at her waist. A necklace of black metal roses hung just below the high collar of the dress and black stud earrings dotted her lobes. On her tiny feet were a pair of black boots that only came up to her ankles. This girl was a devil in an angel's disguise! How was he ever to maintain composure when she looked so mouthwatering?! He'd sensed when she asked him on this date that it was to talk but would he be too distracted to listen?!

"Ready to go, Kyouya?" She asked, grabbing her black coat. He nodded dumbly, not trusting his voice. She led the way as he didn't trust himself to guide her. He had to put every ounce of focus on not falling down the stairs and as such, he didn't notice her talking to the driver. He had enough sense to hold the door open for her and when he slid in on her other side, everything came back to him in a rush.

This was the first time they'd been alone together since that morning and he still couldn't figure out what went wrong. He had been so worried that she was about to call an end to their plan before she had a taste of what he could offer her if she stayed. And when she completely disappeared for three days with no news of where she was or why she had left, he had nearly gone insane. He didn't sleep the entire time she was gone. He looked over at her, the epitome of a goddess in his mind, and the smile she gave him sent him into an oblivion of bliss. That smile was all his. It wasn't for anyone else.

"Where are we going?" He asked, to distract himself from his thoughts.

"I'm not telling you. It'll spoil the fun," she said with a sassy grin.

"You know how I feel about surprises, hime," he teased in return. This felt good. It felt familiar. This was them.

"Yeah, only because it's usually Tamaki who springs them on you," she retorted. "Do I look like Tamaki?"

"Most definitely not." The seriousness of it caught her off guard and sent her into a short silence again, during which Kyouya was mentally cursing himself for screwing up his rapport with her yet again.

The limo slowed in front of one of the most up-in-coming restaurants in Tokyo and he had to stop himself from gaping. How is it that Haruhi had gotten them reservations?! He didn't doubt his own ability to accomplish the task in the slightest, but Haruhi? He glanced at her again, only to see the biggest grin of amusement on her face and her eyes sparkling with laughter. "Impressive," he said simply before getting out to open her door. He held out his arm to her and they walked inside. Stepping up to the maître d', she confidently gave her name and they were told to wait for the owners.

"The owners, huh?" Kyouya whispered to his date.

She grabbed him by his tie and pulled him down to her level before whispering, "you're not the only one with connections in this city, Shadow King." She kissed his cheek before relinquishing him and smoothing out the accessory. She knew she had just rendered him speechless for a second time that night and she was very proud.

"Fujioka?" She turned around to see two young men walking towards them. Her old friends Isogai Yūma and Maehara Hiroto jogged the rest of the way to them, smiling.

"Yūma! Hiroto! Hi, how've you been?! Oh, it's so good to see you," she greeted as they picked her up in squeezing hugs. "Yūma, I like the longer hair on you. Hiroto, looks like you haven't changed a bit."

"Can't say the same about you. Damn, Haruhi, puberty hit you with a bus! Look at you!" The sandy-haired boy spun her out to get a better view. "I can't believe were once pegged close to last place in looks for our class." He gave her a cheeky grin. "You're even pretty enough to date me now, if you want."

"Apparently, looks aren't all that deceiving after all. You're still the same Womanizing Bastard you always were," she retorted, smacking the back of his head. He simply laughed and moved behind Isogai to hang his arms around the black-haired boy's chest, causing a blush to spread across said boy's cheeks.

"Well, not exactly. You see, Haruhi, I'm more of a man's man now. This man right here in fact." He winked at her.

"Oh, you're finally together?! Congratulations!" She rushed forward to hug her two friends. _'And 'Gisa owes me 200 yen.'_

"Thanks," Isogai replied, shrugging off his love's arms. "Don't sell him short, though. Hiroto still loves to flirt, so he's our main waiter. He's really good at getting tips."

"And numbers!" Maehara winked again, causing the other two to roll their eyes at his antics. "Now, how about you introduce us to the gentleman you brought with you, eh? You know, we were both shocked when you said that you, Fujioka 'Cold Shoulder' Haruhi, were bringing a date."

"Yeah, this is my boyfriend, Ootori Kyouya. Kyouya, this is Meahara Hiroto and Isogai Yūma. They own the restaurant here and were nice enough to give us the private room."

He bowed, respectfully, towards Haruhi's friends. "It's a pleasure to meet friends of Haruhi's. The reports of the cuisine here extend far and I am looking forward to enjoying what you have to offer." The whole exchange left him with a conflicting series of emotions. When Haruhi had first pulled him down, he lost all sense of self to the breath that warmed his ear. His fervor was quickly doused by her reception of the owners, not remembering who they were. And his subsequent fury was cooled by the fact that their teasing was never serious and that the owners were, by far, not interested in his princess as anything more than a friend.

"Sure thing, come on, you two. The room's this way." Isogai led them through the maze of tables while Maehara went off elsewhere. When he unlocked the door, the trio were shocked to discover the room was filled with roses and twinkling lights. Two tall candles lit the table, giving the whole room a very romantic feel. Haruhi and Isogai deadpanned while Kyouya's collar suddenly felt too tight.

"Hiroto?" Haruhi asked.

"Hiroto." Isogai responded, annoyed.

"Gonna kill 'im?" She questioned.

"Can't. He's too useful. Nothing says I can't distract his work, though." The black-haired boy got an evil grin on his face.

"Have fun," Haruhi smirked. Once he was gone, she turned to her date. "Sorry about all this. Maehara's idea of a joke. Shall we go in and take a look at the menus, then?" He nodded and guided her in, pulling out her chair before sitting across from her.

"Haruhi?" The brunette froze in the midst of reaching for a menu. He hadn't called her by her name since they'd started fake dating. She looked up and his eyes were hidden from her. Not a good sign. "Why did you ask me out here tonight?"

She sighed, retracting her hand. "Always to the point, huh, Kyouya. You see, I wanted to talk. About what happened the morning after the dinner with your family."


	35. Haruhi's Indecisive Decision

A/N: Hey everyone. Just wanted to share my appreciation for all of those who've kept up with me thus far. I love you all, thank you so much for your support! As always, please r&r, pm me if you have any questions, comments, or theories.

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Haruhi's Indecisive Decision

"Go on," Kyouya said, tensely. He was half sure he didn't want her to continue, fearing what might come of it. Especially since the Christmas Party was just over two weeks away.

Haruhi stayed silent despite his encouragement. A waitress came with their drinks and left. She still didn't know what she wanted to tell him. Did she want to tell him the truth and figure out from there where she wanted to go? Did she want to ignore it altogether? Did she want to take Karma's advice and sleep with someone she trusted before she went through with her assignment? She was terrified. She didn't want to be raped by Yoshio and she was petrified that if she was, she might never have a healthy relationship with anyone. _"It's not like people mate for life anymore these days…"_ Sure, Karma believed that, but did Kyouya? Would he keep that over her head to get her to stay with him? Was he that underhanded? Would it hurt him to sleep with her and then not be with her? So many questions and she didn't have the answer to any of them. A warm, gentle hand covered one of her own, causing her to jump and she looked up.

"Please," he coaxed. What he saw when she looked up shook him to his core. The fear in her eyes he knew, would haunt him for the rest of his life. What did she have to be so afraid of? Was it him? Surely, she must know he'd never do anything to intentionally harm her. Had he done something unintentionally? What was it?!

She opened her mouth to speak when a soft knock sounded on the door. Isogai poked his head around. Haruhi ducked her head to hide her face once again and Kyouya could have killed her friend himself for his timing.

"Hey guys, did you figure out what you wanted to try?"

"Is the acorn soba the same one we made on the mountain?" Haruhi asked, bringing her head up, clear of all previous emotion.

"Yeah, most of our dishes are from the festival. We go up to the mountain about once every couple of weeks to replenish our stock. Actually, because of winter setting in, this is going to be the last night of the 'harvest menu'. We're switching to food that's a little heartier until spring."

"Oh, Kyouya, you've got to try it! The noodles are made from scratch using all-natural ingredients and you will never taste fresher vegetables or an herbier broth."

"Alright, I'll take your word for it."

"We'll take two!" She said, excited. Isogai beamed.

"I thought you might. Be right back!" He shut the door behind him and Haruhi visibly deflated, the fear returning as she started fiddling with her napkin and blinking rapidly.

"Hime, please," Kyouya implored, taking her hands in his. He could feel the mild tremors that pulsed through them. His concern skyrocketed even as he marveled once again at her level of composure. Her eyes watered. She was breaking down, he just had to hold out. He didn't want to have to hold out, though. He wanted her to feel like she could talk freely to him. He hoped she was just having trouble finding the right words to use.

"I'm…sorry…I just…it's…" She pulled back her hands and wiped at her face, her breathing bordering on panic. Kyouya got up to sit next to her. Whatever it was weighed heavily on her and he was determined to be there for her, no matter what end this conversation led to.

"It's alright, take your time, hime." He held her hands, drawing his thumb around the backs in calming circles. "Start slowly, tell me what went wrong that morning. Know that no matter what you say, you could never make me mad at you."

She took a deep, shaky breath. And a second one for good measure. He had been honest with her all this time. The least she could do was return the favor. "I was scared, okay?!" She turned away, curling her knees to her chest. "What you did to me that day…it scared me. But not for the reason you think. You didn't do anything wrong. It was all me. I just…it…it turned me on. And it scared me. I didn't mean to run away from you. I just…I didn't know what else to do. I panicked! Irina explained it to me later and I didn't want to have anything to do with sexual attraction or even admit that I had it. So I put up walls and I hid and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…"

Well, he certainly wasn't expecting an answer like that. But was that really all? He turned her on and she panicked? Had she never been turned on or sexually aroused before? He supposed it was quite possible. She had the reputation of being oblivious in her second year, and one of having a cold shoulder in her third year of middle school. She teased and flirted with he and his friends all the time these days, and it never made them do anything except freeze. Those few times he teased back were always verbal. It was altogether possible that she had never let anyone close enough to turn her on and if that was the case, such an unexpected sensation could have easily frightened her. Especially if it was as intense as her reaction made it seem. The more he thought about it, the more understanding Kyouya became.

"And then-" The door opened again and Kyouya nearly screamed in frustration. "That smells amazing, Yūma! Don't you think so, Kyouya?"

"A more satisfying aroma, I cannot recall," he replied gallantly. All the frustration in the world couldn't make him insult her friends and risk upsetting her further. It was true, though. The smells wafting off their bowls were simply mouthwatering. He almost couldn't wait to dig in but his Haruhi had to be taken of. Before anything else, she was his priority.

"Well, I hope it tastes as good as it smells to you," Isogai replied with a smile as he refilled their drinks. "I'll be back to check on you in a while. Enjoy!" He gave them a heartfelt wave as he shut the door behind him.

"Let's dig in before it gets cold. Seriously, if it's still Muramatsu's recipe, your tastebuds are in for a real treat!" She eagerly picked up her chopsticks, hoping to bypass what she was about to say.

"Haruhi." Damnit. The brunette sighed, setting her utensils back on the table.

"I suppose you want me to continue, huh, Kyouya. Well, remember that day I went out with Karma and Nagisa?" He nodded. He had been spitting acid for most of that particular trip until she stepped onto that stage. That was also the day she vanished. "Well, remember all those bags I had on my arms at the end of the day?"

"Vaguely," he replied, wondering where she was going with this. She took another shuddering breath as tears pricked at her eyes.

"Okay, well…I…we separated at the train station to go home and…I _should_ have taken a cab…gods I'm so stupid…it was dark and I was walking….my arms were loaded down…and hi-hi-hi…" tears were spilling over as Haruhi veered on the edge of breaking down completely as the memories, still fresh from her recitation earlier, unleashed their usual invasion on her mind.

"He? He who, Haruhi? What happened? Please talk to me." He was starting to panic, himself. What had happened that day to make her disappear for the rest of the week?! Kyouya had tried everything to find her. He had called Ranka, who only told him she was with a friend and he was going out of town. He had talked to the chairman who only repeated the same story. He couldn't track her phone. The computer she'd received from Honey still showed its location to be her apartment, so he knew she didn't have it on her. "He who, hime?" Kyouya asked again, gently cupping her face in his hands and wiping her tears away with his thumbs.

"Higa," she choked out. Kyouya's blood ran cold. He remembered that day, that look, the quiet plea from Haruhi to ban him. He had done so, and from more than just the club. Thanks to a few well-placed bits of information, Higa Raiden was subsequently expelled. That was the last they'd heard of him. "He grabbed me and forced me into an alley where some others were waiting. I tried to break free…I tried…the bags…I couldn't move…he sliced my coat…hit my head…they pinned me down…they were…going to…they…my shirt…they…were…" She couldn't bring herself to finish. She was gasping for air, she couldn't get enough air.

She was drowning in the visions that clouded her mind, struggling to keep from losing herself entirely. How come it was so much easier talking to Karma? She cried, her words were choked out, but she wasn't lost inside her own head. She knew where she was then. How did he keep the onslaught at bay? Kyouya's grip tightened around the sides of her face.

"Haruhi, listen to me," he said, gently but firmly. Anxiety attacks were among the most common reactions in medicine and were therefore, among the first things he made sure he could handle as a future physician. "Look at me. I need you to focus on me, right here, right now. Pick one part of my face and stare at it. Study it like you were going to be tested on it. That's it…that's right. Now, I need you to slow your breathing to match mine, alright? Very good…" He helped her take a drink once her breathing had settled a bit more and continued to keep her face in his hands. "Now, I need you to keep focusing on me and tell me…what happened next. Take it slowly, we are in no rush. Just keep your eyes on me."

"Tet-tetsuya saved me. He f-found me and started punching everyone he could reach. Others sh-showed up and he told them to k-keep attacking while h-he cov-v-vered me up and l-looked at m-my h-head. I passed out and woke up later at the K-kasanoda Syndicate. Rit-tsu off-f-f-ered me the chance to st-stay and I took him up on it." Her anxiety still had a hold over her but at least she no longer felt overwhelmed by the memories.

 _'So that's where she was.'_ Kyouya thought to himself. It made sense. She had asked the red-head for security and he had supplied it. If that security had found her in such a position, of course they would have taken her where they could best protect her. If the Syndicate was responsible for her rescue, he had no doubts in his mind that they would have been as ruthless in their retribution as anything he could imagine. For that, he was grateful.

"It made you even more afraid of your attraction, didn't it?" More tears spilled over and she whimpered. The sound of it tore his heart and he hugged her close. "You are perfectly okay in that reaction, Haruhi. Please believe me, I could never be mad at you. Especially not over something like this. I'm just relieved to finally understand and I swear to you, I will never touch you like that without your consent." He kissed her forehead and was comforted when she didn't tense up in response.

"And I want you to know that if we ever get to that point where you decide you want to act on that attraction of yours, if you decide at any moment that you want to back out, you have that freedom. I don't care how far we are, if you decide you don't want to go any further, we will stop." Kyouya was far from stupid. He knew a situation like that was not going to be anywhere in the near future. But if she needed the reassurance, he would reassure her until he was blue in the face.

She kissed his cheek. "Thank you," she whispered, still indecisive on telling him the rest.

"Anytime, hime." He kissed the knuckles of her hand. "Anything."

He dipped some of his acorn noodles into the now lukewarm broth and took a bite, amazed by the taste. It was earthy, robust, and full of flavor. The quality of the food completely unmatched the price they charged. Add to that the exclusivity of ingredients and they could make this the most expensive restaurant in Tokyo. He wondered why they hadn't.

"You weren't exaggerating the food here, Haruhi. I think I've just found my new favorite place to eat. And once again, you have reaffirmed my belief that there is more value in the humble than could ever be found among the elite." A tiny, gentle smile graced her face as he took another bite. "Come now, I can't be the only one enjoying our dinner." He teasingly held a small bite out to her, surprised when she accepted it. He watched as her cheeks flushed.

"Sorry," she mumbled, turning away. "I shouldn't be acting this way after all that." He caught her chin in his fingers and turned her head back to him.

"You never have to apologize to me, Haruhi." He spoke softly but fervently and enjoyed as the blush deepened. She was so close. So…beautiful… "Haruhi," he whispered, "will you let me kiss you?" _'You fool! How could you ask her something like that after what she just told you?! Are you_ trying _to sabotage yourself?!'_

"Kyouya…I…" What did she want? "I…" She threw herself into Karma's lips earlier after telling him the exact same things, why couldn't she simply answer his question? _'Because it's not that simple,'_ the irritating voice reasoned. "I don't want to hurt you," she choked out, still more tears springing to her eyes. "I don't want to hurt anybody. I've come so far…I can't…I can't lose you or anyone else…not now…I'm so afraid…so scared…" She couldn't stop her hands from trembling. Just when she thought she'd had herself under control! Why did she have to take that bite?! He put a finger to her lips, silencing her, and she froze. Here it comes. The feigned disregard at her rejection. The barriers he was about to put between them.

"Sometimes I forget just how much we don't deserve to have you in our lives," he muttered, more to himself than to her. "Do you really think we would abandon you simply because you kissed one of us?" She blinked, sending two tiny streams of tears down her cheeks. "Of course you do, you sweet, magnificent woman. Hime, no one is going to leave you. I promise. If you decide to kiss me because that's what _you want_ , number one, that will be between us and no one else even has to know. Number two, if they find out, it will still be your decision and no one can argue with you. You won't have to be sorry and you won't have to explain yourself. Same goes for anyone else you decide to kiss.

"If you went out and planted one on Mori-senpai in front of the entire club tomorrow, that would be your prerogative. No one else will have a say in the matter and if they tried, I will deal with them personally. If you kiss me or if we went even further and we still 'break up' in three months as planned and you started dating someone else, I will still be there to protect you. Would it be painful to watch you on the arm of another after knowing your love? Undeniably. But that would pale in comparison to the pain of not having you in my life at all after knowing your friendship and as long as I know you are happy and treated well, that's all I would care about. You won't lose any of us if you choose one of us."

"Promise?" She asked, somewhat hopeful. He clasped her hand in his and tenderly kissed her knuckles.

"I promise. You will not be deserted because of actions you take with me or anyone else. As long as you are happy and you are treated the way you deserve, that's all that ever needs to concern the rest of us." She threw her arms around his neck, hugging him closely. He had helped sooth one of her deepest fears about being involved in the Host Club. That's not to say it was eliminated, she still had her doubts, but at least she knew one person who had no intention of leaving her alone at the end of the day.

"Thank you, Kyouya," she whispered into his ear. Her arms tightened. "Thank you."

Anytime, hime. For anything." Even if he never got any further with her than a peck on the forehead or her kissing his cheek, this moment was worth it. This was his. He smiled and returned her embrace, enjoying the feel of her in his arms.

"Kyouya?" She whispered, leaning away from him with a look in her eyes that was a confusing mixture of trepidation, nerves, resolve, and curiosity. Haruhi read the confusion on his face. She had made up her mind. If only to an extent. "Will you let me kiss you?"

"You never need to ask, my love." She had never seen such a look of tenderness on his face or heard him speak with so much gentleness in his voice. The smile he gave her sent a swooping into her stomach that she wasn't entirely uncomfortable with. She had that same feeling when Karma looked at her in certain ways. This was similar but…different somehow.

Kyouya caressed her cheek, drawing his fingers away from her face and back through her hair, holding her head in place. He moved slowly, wanting to savor every moment and not wanting to frighten her. She had given him a gift and he planned to cherish it. Kyouya placed his lips on her forehead, as he had done several times now. He moved lower, kissing the tip of her nose. Her large brown eyes closed of their own volition, his slow pace causing her lower lip to quiver in a nervous excitement. Her pulse was racing. She could feel him coming closer and she sucked in a shaky breath, just as his lips met hers. Kyouya's lips were softer than she'd expected and she could feel the gentle hesitation of his kiss. He carefully took control, encouraging her to follow his lead without demanding it. Her lips continued their nervous tremble, moving tentatively with his.

It was so different from the kiss she'd shared with Karma earlier that day. To compare them would be to compare night with day. Karma was the sun. His kiss made her body burn. He enflamed her passion, her desires. She wanted to hold on and never let go. She wanted to keep burning. Kyouya soothed the burn, calmed her intensity. He was night incarnate. He was slow, he was serene, and she was content to let him guide her. Karma made her moan. With Kyouya, she sighed, relaxing into his embrace.

When the pair finally separated, both struggling to catch their breath, they simply stared at each other. Kyouya's steely grey eyes were glazed over and he licked his lips, hoping to capture every last lingering taste of Haruhi. Her eyes shimmered like starlight as she bit into her now swollen lower lip to cease its fluttering.

If they broke up as scheduled, Kyouya knew he would always have this. This was something no one could take from him. "Haruhi," he croaked, caressing her face. It was exquisite. The softness of her reddened cheeks, the pout of her lips, the slight tickle of her lower lashes, he wanted to memorize it all in this moment. "That was…wow," he said breathlessly, mentally kicking himself for not having better words to describe it.

"You were pretty wow, yourself, Kyouya," she replied with a coy smile. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you had experience."

"It's easy to fake what I don't know when I have such an enticing partner." She hummed, leaning her head into his palm. She wasn't ready to take Karma's suggestion and go any further with him, at least not tonight, but this was a good start for her. Would she in the near future? That, she still didn't know.

"It looks like Isogai bagged our food for us," she mentioned, glancing at the table. She felt a little embarrassed at being caught in the act, but she knew he wouldn't rag on her for it like some of her other E-class friends. He could be counted on for discretion.

"That's nice," Kyouya responded, still wholly entranced with her. He started playing with the hair that curled around her ear, amused at the grin she tried to fight.

"Stop it," she said, batting his hand away.

"You don't like when I do this? Oh, that's right! How could I forget you were ticklish?" He continued playing with the same spot as suppressed giggles erupted from his Haruhi.

"Kyouya-a-a-a!"

"What?" He asked in mock innocence. "This is a date and I'm having fun."

"Well, I'm not," she retorted, trying to escape his sudden attack.

"Those cute little giggles beg to differ," he replied, grinning. Being this relaxed was such a new experience for him. It shocked him every day how much she affected him, how far removed he was from the all-powerful Shadow King persona he lived his life under. But only when he was around her could he let his guard down. Not even Tamaki could bring this out of him.

It was a quiet ride home, each content with silence, each with the ghost of a smile on their face. When Kyouya walked Haruhi to her door, he asked her for another kiss, unwilling to take one from her. He meant it when he said he wouldn't touch her intimately if he didn't have her consent first. He thanked his luckiest stars when she allowed him to and he eagerly leaned in for a second one. Nothing as intense as their first had been, just a brief, chaste peck on the lips, but every bit as satisfying.

Kyouya went home, grinning like a lovestruck schoolboy. In retrospect, he was. He was in high school and he had just shared the best night of his life with the girl he planned to secure for himself. He fell into bed that night, still grinning, and slept deeply, his dreams all centered on one particular brunette.

Haruhi, on the other hand, lie awake for a long while after getting ready for bed. Kyouya had accepted her fears and comforted more than a few of them. He didn't push her for intimacy and even issued a challenge to prove his point. She knew he wanted to turn this charade of theirs into a real thing, but it felt like a betrayal to Karma for whom she'd so long held regard. She knew she wanted to be with Karma, could feel it with everything she had. She loved Karma. Was in love with him. But the longer she was around Kyouya, the more he kept worming his way in and the more confused she became.


	36. Girl Time: Part Two

A/N: Hey everyone, forgive me for the delayed update. This is taking me some time to get just right and feel natural, something I've always striven for. As always, please read and review. I greatly appreciate it!

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Girl Time: Part Two

The Christmas Party was fast approaching. Haruhi had been over to the Ootori home twice since that fateful first dinner and Ritsu had the keycode to the door in case anything went wrong, and this was their last chance to gather as much intel as Haruhi could. She had been out on a few more dates with Kyouya and had shared several more intimate kisses. She was growing more comfortable with them, going so far as to even play with the little hairs on the back of his head during them, something that made him groan into her lips and stoked her pride. Who knew that she could bring the great Shadow King of Ouran to his knees so easily.

The Saturday of the party arrived bright and way too early for one sleepy brunette who had spent half the night caring for her drunk father. She cursed her fashion friends who knocked so fervently on her door. Grumbling about killing them in very creatively explicit ways, she threw open the door and glared at the twin nitwits who dared wake her up.

"What the _hell_ do you two want?"

" **AAAAHHHHH HOST CLUB DEMON!** " They clung to each other suggestively.

"Don't worry, Kaoru, I'll protect you!"

"I could never ask you to do that for me, Hikaru."

"You don't have to ask, dear little brother. I couldn't live with myself if I let her harm you."

"Hikaru…"

"Kao-"

"Will you two knock it off and tell me what the _hell_ you're doing on my doorstep at seven in the morning?!" They shrugged in unison.

" **We're here to help you get ready for the party.** "

"I don't need help and the party isn't for another _twelve hours!_ You're going to get lost before I sic Mitsu and Kyouya on you and I'm going back to bed. _"_

"Haruhi!"

"Oh, _now_ what?!" She looked behind the twins only to see no less than four of her female friends from E-Class and Professor Bitch strolling up the sidewalk. "No," she mumbled. "No, no, no, no, no!" Her voice grew louder with each passing word as the twins high-fived each other. "I just wanna sleep," she wined. When the group of girls approached, she deadpanned. "And what are _you_ doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious, Haruhi?" Kayano asked.

"We're here to help you out with the party." Nakamura elaborated.

"We decided to have some fun today so we're all going to a spa. It's supposed to be really nice." Kanzaki smiled, sweetly.

"And Professor Bitch is paying for the whole thing!" Kurahashi concluded.

"WHAT?! I didn't agree to that! Who was the wise ass who decided THAT?!" The girls with her laughed.

"Calm down, PB. We called Karasama-sensei and he arranged everything. He's already transferred the money to your account. All we need now is for Haruhi to get her lazy butt in gear." Nakamura smirked at the brunette who was trying very hard not to lose her temper at this point.

"Humph. He could have told me as much at least. Leave it to him to let me go in blind."

"Come on, Haruhi! Get dressed so we can get going!" Kurahashi pushed passed the twins to shove the brunette into her room.

"Mom, give me strength," Haruhi muttered darkly. Once she was acceptably dressed for the cold weather, she returned to her fiends…friends. They're her friends. She had to keep reminding herself that they had the best intentions and she did like spending time with them.

" **Alright, spa day!** " The twins synchronized.

"You aren't going anywhere with us, Hitachiins." Irina said, protectively. "This is a ladies' only trip."

"But we're the sons of the biggest fashion empire in the country!" Hikaru wined.

"You need us to make her look good. Besides, girl talk and fashion advice transcend gender." Kaoru continued.

"We don't need a _boy's_ opinion on how to make our girlfriend shine." Kanzaki said kindly, with a definite edge in her eyes.

"Hika, Kao?" Haruhi called quietly. She led them back into her apartment, motioning for her girlfriends and former teacher to wait a moment.

"Listen, you know I love having you around and even though you two tend to be overbearing, you do have good advice. The dress you sent me for tonight was stunning. But I haven't gotten to spend any time with them since the beach and I miss them. Do you think you could give me this?"

They shifted guiltily. When she spoke that softly with her big puppy dog brown eyes gazing at them, open and honest, it made them reconsider every bad thing they'd ever done in their lives. It was irritating, but they couldn't resist the power of her stare. And they didn't want to.

"Yeah, sure, Haruhi," Kaoru started.

"We'll go annoy the boss or somethin'," Hikaru said with an evil grin. Haruhi smiled.

"Just make sure that 'something' doesn't involve you guys following me," she replied, kissing their cheeks. She had become comfortable with the slight display of affection and bestowed it willingly. After a brief time, they stopped being shocked by it and were eager to accept it. "Thanks, you two." The trio exited her apartment once more and the twins left for Tamaki's. The girls set off for a nice breakfast and then the spa, most of them in high spirits, the focus of the group not looking forward to their destination but enjoying her company all the same.

"Wow, Haruhi, you look radiant!" Nakamura exclaimed several hours later when they took a lunch break. As it turned out, Karasama had set up the whole works for the girls. No expense was spared, no treatment overlooked. Irina was surprised by the lengths he had gone to. He even had a bouquet of stargazer lilies sent to her that had her blushing like a schoolgirl and her former students tittering.

"Thanks, but I'm far from the only one. You all look great too." Haruhi had actually ended up having a good time with her friends, despite their location activities. The waxing was awful but she couldn't deny the appeal of the massage. She couldn't ever remember feeling so relaxed.

"True! But considering you're the one with the event tonight, it's your appearance that matters most. And that rich boyfriend of yours is going to be speechless. I still can't believe you've been dating Ootori and you didn't tell us!" The blonde replied. "We had to find out from Ritsu two months later!"

"I know, I'm sorry. I guess it just didn't seem like that big a deal." The brunette said sheepishly.

"Are you kidding?! The fact that you're dating at ALL is a HUGE deal!" Kayano exclaimed before getting a smirk on her face. "So tell us…how far have you gone with him?"

"Kaede, don't be a perv." Haruhi stuck her tongue out at the green-haired girl.

"Inquiring minds want to know, Haruhi." Kurahashi responded, holding out a notebook and pencil.

"She got quite close to him at Yūma's and Hiroto's new restaurant. In the private room." Ritsu answered from Kanzaki's phone with a wink.

"RITSU!" Haruhi nearly shouted, her face turning deep red. She couldn't believe the pink-haired girl had just ratted her out.

"Busted," Kanzaki said, giggling.

"Ooooooh, Haruhi you vixen!" Kayano laughed maliciously.

"It wasn't like that," Haurhi defended, glaring at the phone. Ritsu only shrugged innocently. "It was just a kiss."

"The first of many," Ritsu added.

"RITSU!" The girls all laughed.

"If you need any advice, you can always come to me. Mama's got a lot of experience." Irina smirked.

"I," Haurhi started loudly before settling, defeated. "I don't know." The table went silent.

"Haruhi, are you seriously considering… _that_?" Kanzaki asked, no longer laughing. She was astounded. They all were.

"I…don't know. Maybe?" This was why she didn't want the twins around. This kind of girl talk she really didn't want them in on. As it was, there were too many girls for her to be comfortable with but she reasoned that all of them together might be able to help her come to a conclusive decision.

"Wow, I didn't realize you'd gotten so close with him." Kurahashi breathed. "When he was at your house that first day I helped you get dressed, you two didn't even glance at each other. Are you sure, though? That's not exactly something you can take back."

"He was at her house?! Was Papa Ranka there?!" Kayano gaped. Kurahashi nodded. Kayano wiped her brow in semi-mock relief.

"I'm not sure. That's kind of why I said something. What if there comes a situation and I don't have a choice? I know we've all trained hard and we should be able to fight off any attacker no matter how they try to take us but look at what almost happened to you, Yukiko, when we went to Kyoto. Look at what happened to you, Miss Irina, and what kind of person it turned you into and how long it took you to develop an actual relationship. Wouldn't it be better to do that with someone I trust so it doesn't ruin me for good?" She looked at the faces around her as they stared evenly at her in return. Each pair of eyes was filled with understanding and sympathy, some were even contemplative, as if they'd never thought about it like that before.

"Haruhi, the situation you're talking about, is very unlikely to happen to you girls. Tadaomi and I made sure you know how to get out of a situation like that before it goes too far. Believe it or not, we care for you kids. Neither of us wanted you to go through what I went through so we both worked hard on our part to prevent that." Irina knew what Haruhi was afraid of and why. "I can understand if you wouldn't want to take a chance, though, and if you think you can trust the Ootori boy then I can give you some pointers if you want."

"Like I said, I still can't make a decision and I've tried."

"Haruhi, what about Karma? Don't you still have a thing for him? Why are you even dating Ootori anyway when you said the reason you couldn't date Karma was because you two went to different schools. He goes to Ouran now, right? So you can date _him_ and get it on with your red-headed sadist." The other girls nodded at Kayano's logic, grinning in amusement at her choice of words.

"Wait, you still have a crush on Karma?!" Kurahashi exclaimed.

"Oh, that's right, you weren't at the Hitachiin beach house those few days." Kayano replied. "I think you had some tours or something. Anyway, yeah, she told us then that she still liked him."

"Aww, you two would make such a killer couple!" The strawberry blonde giggled at her own joke. "Kaede's right, why aren't you dating him?"

"It's a bit more complicated than that but I'm not at liberty to say more and apparently I can't trust _Ritsu_ to keep her mouth closed." The pink-haired girl stuck her tongue out at Haruhi who responded in kind.

"Do you love Ootori?" Kanzaki asked.

"Does it matter?" The brunette retorted. "He's a close friend and I trust him enough. It's not like I'd have to be stuck with him forever if we went there. We could still break up and move on. We could still remain close friends. That's what Karma said, anyway."

"You talked about screwing your boyfriend with your _crush_?!"

"Hinano, shhhh! Would you keep it down?!" Haruhi stifled the girl with her hand. As soon as her point was made clear, she removed it.

"Sorry," Kurahashi said, abashed.

"I thought you said he said he wanted to date you," Kanzaki prodded gently.

Haruhi frowned, looking upset. "He did."

"But you just said-" Nakamura started.

"I know," Haruhi interrupted. Her eyes were filled with confusion, defeat, and her friends reached over the table to touch her in some way in support and sympathy. "He was the one who suggested it in the first place. You know, having sex with someone I can trust in case I'm ever in a position where I don't have a choice. We were talking about Kyouya when he said it. He's been pushing for me to date Kyouya since the beach house."

"Well, we all know Karma's an ass but I didn't think he was that bad. I'm really sorry, Haruhi. You know I never would have poked fun if I'd known."

"I know. Thanks, Kaede. Still doesn't help me make a decision though. I'm at a complete loss."

"I say stick it to 'im and bang Ootori. He's cute. He's intelligent. He's totally head over heels for you. And when Karma realizes what he's missing out on, he'll come crawling back." Nakamura surmised.

"You know, she does have a point, Haruhi," Irina agreed with a smirk. "If there's anything that brings a man to his knees it's realizing what he can't have."

"But wouldn't I just be using Kyouya to get to Karma? How's that fair to anybody?"

"Who said it had to be? All's fair in love and war," Kanzaki stated, wisely.

"If he's going to suggest you sleep with Ootori when it's clear you really like Karma, do it and watch it blow up in his face," Kurahashi said, bluntly.

"Wow. Brutal." Nakamura grinned.

"A little harsh, don't you think, Hinano?" Haruhi responded, surprised by her usually happy-go-lucky friend.

"Don't you think it was harsh of Karma to pretty much throw you at Ootori when it's obvious you're into him?"

"I guess so. And it's not like I'm forced to marry Kyouya if I did, right?"

"Of course not!" Kurahashi assured.

"Go for it. Karma deserves a bit of his namesake for this." Nakamura grinned evilly.

"Serves him right for practically throwing you away," Kanzaki supplied.

"I'm so proud of you girls. Look at you, all eager to put a man in his place," Irina grinned. "In that case, we have some more work to do."

A short time later, the group of girls were being led into a lingerie store by their former teacher where she taught them all about the different kinds they would encounter and how to use them. Thirty minutes later, they exited, Haruhi carrying one small bag and beet red, Irina carrying two large bags and completely nonchalant. Then it was back to the spa to finish out their day with nails and hair.

"Haruhi, is your father home now?" Irina asked.

"I don't know. Maybe. Why?"

"Because you still need your makeup done and it's a lot easier to dress in a formal gown if you're in a larger space than a bedroom."

"I am _not_ changing in the middle of my living room wearing _this_ under it!" The brunette shrieked, indicating the small bag she kept trying to make invisible.

"Please, honey, it's not as if you have anything any of us haven't seen before."

"I have neighbors!"

"So we'll close the curtains, come on Haruhi, it's not that big a deal," Nakamura smirked. She groaned in defeat, knowing it was useless to argue.

"Dad?" Haruhi called out a little while later as the group crossed the threshold into the apartment. Immediately, her friends made themselves comfortable and Irina started working on some tea. "Whose home is this, again?" She muttered under her breath. "Dad, I'm home!" She called out again. She knocked on his door before peeking in, only to find his room Ranka-less. "Guess he's already gone to work," she said, returning to the living room.

"Perfect. Now, Haruhi, sit and be a good girl, eh?" Nakamura heavily suggested.

"Yeah, yeah," she mumbled. The relaxed feeling left by the massage had long since dissipated and she found she missed it already. She sat at the kitchen table where the others had already laid out an impressive array of makeup. _'Where were they hiding this stuff?'_ The brunette wondered, dutifully closing her eyes.

"Where is the dress?" Kanzaki asked. "We need to see it before we start so we know what colors to use."

"Hanging on the back of my closet door." She didn't feel like opening her eyes back up as she heard the eager footsteps retreating to the back bedroom. Haruhi smiled when the apartment filled with amazed 'ooohs' and 'ahhhs'. The twins' work was immaculate and never failed to leave people less than floored.

"Haruhi, it's beautiful…" Irina breathed, in awe.

"Where did you get this?" Kayano asked, practically drooling.

"Hikaru and Kaoru made it. They make a lot of my clothes. It's a lot easier to just accept them than to try and fight them on it."

"Those homosexual pervy twins made this?!" Nakamura replied.

"Yeah. But you know they're not actually homosexual, right? It's just an act."

"Alright, alright. We all agree the dress is astounding. Now let's get Haruhi ready to get in the dress. We're running out of time here!" Kurahashi ordered.

An hour and a half later the girls stepped back in sheer awe at the figure that was their friend. Her hair had been touched up, her makeup, intricately done by Irina, Kanzaki had helped her into her gown, Kayano put her shoes on so she wouldn't have to bend over. Kurahashi assisted with her accessories, and Nakamura packed her clutch with emergency supplies.

"Haruhi, you look beautiful!"

"Stunning!"

"I'm so jealous!"

"Haruhi, I've coached you as best I can. You're ready. Go make mama proud and knock 'im dead."

"Thanks, you guys. I really do appreciate all the help today. I'd ask you to wish me luck but, honestly, I think I've got this." Her sparkling eyes focused on her friends, determined. They grinned at her in return.

"You'd better tell us how it goes tonight," Kayano said, softly.

"But we understand if we don't hear from you until tomorrow," Nakamura winked. Everyone laughed quietly.

"We'd better get going, okay? You take care of yourself tonight and call us if anything goes wrong."

"Definitely. I can just imagine you five busting through the windows of the Ootori Mansion to rescue me." They laughed again and the energy of the room relaxed. Her friends and her former teacher hugged her gently and gave their goodbyes, leaving the premises before Haruhi messaged Kyouya for a ride.


	37. Belle of the Ball

A/N: Hey everyone, sorry it took a few days to upload this chapter. It took me a little while to figure out the correct path between two for the next part of the story and that path was deeply ingrained in this chapter. I hope this chapter was worth the buildup. As always, I appreciate all of you readers and reviewers.

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The Christmas Party

"Nakurosa-san, I'd like to introduce you to my youngest son, Kyouya. Son, this is Nakurosa Suro. He is the head owner of Nakurosa Pharmaceuticals. The Ootori Corporation works closely with his company to develop most of the drugs that are currently still labeled as experimental."

"An honor, Nakurosa-san," the raven-haired teen bowed in respect, bored out of his mind and anxious for his girlfriend's arrival. When he'd received the text from her that she wanted to arrive alone, he'd panicked, worried that she was going to back out and not show. They'd gotten closer, sure, but this was an event the size of which would be overwhelming to most. His father had been making subtle remarks about her continued absence since the party started a half hour ago. He finished the civilities of his conversation with the owner of the company he'd already bought two months ago and moved on to a potential investor he had an interest in networking with.

It was while forcing out a laugh at some imbecilic 'joke' the investor made when he noticed the attention of those around him being diverted to a singular point. His conversation partner also noted the change and the two craned their necks to pinpoint the distraction of the room. Kyouya glimpsed the breathtaking woman standing by herself in the foyer of his home, the sudden object of every eye at the party, and his jaw nearly hit the floor.

Her shoulder-length brown hair curled gently away from her face, showing off every inch of the exquisite bone structure she was graced with. A shy blush sprinkled across her delicate cheekbones, the most incredible shade of pink he'd ever witnessed though not nearly as alluring as the pale touch of pink that colored her lips. Her blush may have indicated shyness but her intense, wide, brown eyes held a steady, intelligent, confident gaze. A slender neck encased in a thin, silver collar necklace with a single drop tear diamond led the eye of the beholder in a straight line across pale, temptingly bare shoulders.

A white fur trim covered the top half of her arms and led into a deep, forest green, velvet gown that clung to her every curve, subtle and pronounced. From the base of the trim to the center of her chest was a splattering of crystals set randomly, and yet carefully patterned, glistening snowflakes against the vivid color. The shimmer of the gown highlighted the woman's petite frame while the mermaid silhouette made her appear taller. Her hands were coated in white, silken gloves that reached just below her elbows.

Whispers abounded. 'Who is she?' the most prominent among them. Everyone wanted to know the identity of the brunette beauty who'd just arrived. Her eyes scanned the crowd, sharp and clear. When they spotted the one she'd been searching for, her face visibly brightened and an entrancing smile spread across her face. The crowd parted with every step she took towards her goal until she stood facing Kyouya and bowed.

"Good evening, Kyouya," she said softly. Now that she was close, he could see details in her makeup that were invisible from further away. Subtle streaks of glitter swirled away from the outer edges of her eyes, like snow blowing in the wind. Her bare skin shimmered slightly under the lights of the chandeliers that hung from the high ceilings. After a few moments of silence during which a pin drop could be heard throughout the room, she continued, looking at the man beside him. "Oh, I'm sorry, did I interrupt your conversation?" She bowed to the investor. "Please forgive me, sir."

He smiled kindly. "There's nothing to forgive, child. It does not follow that the interruption is undesired. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Hitoshi Rikuto, of Hitoshi and Sons Enterprises. Who might I have the honor of speaking with?"

"My name is Fujioka Haruhi," she said, bowing again. Out of the corner of her eye, Kyouya remained wordless and still. His continued silence was starting to unnerve her. Was he angry? She hadn't meant to cause such a spectacle when she entered the room. "I understand you make your business by investing in young, up-in-coming companies, is that correct?"

"That is one of our dealings, yes. Why, do you have a proposition for me as well?" Haruhi laughed softly.

"No sir, I only wanted to thank you for giving new businesses a chance in the world. There's not a lot who would, thinking it too high-risk an investment with no guarantee of pay-out and I'm sure you've helped make many a small dream a reality."

"You flatter me, Miss Fujioka. What I do is not so grand as all that. I merely scope out the pool while it's shallow, so to speak."

"I'm sure it may seem that way to you, but I believe those fledgling companies you've given a leg to stand on have a different attitude. I'm sure their gratefulness is the main reason for the high return rate you see from your investments."

"I'm impressed, young miss. You take an interest in stocks?"

"I do my research. When Kyouya told me he was interested in making your acquaintance, I made sure to learn more about you. Though he doesn't seem to be too keen on talking now." She glanced at him again. His glasses were glared over. It was not a good sign.

"How do you know young Ootori, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Oh, of course not. I'm his girlfriend. We met in school." She threw Kyouya a dazzling smile which fell when she still incited no reaction from him. "Though I fear he may be upset with me at the moment." She gave Hitoshi a disconcerted smile.

"My dear, I am sure he is simply taken with your beauty," he replied kindly. "You have captured the attention of every person in this room just by entering."

She chuckled good-naturedly. "More likely because I was late."

"You are too modest. Look, someone is arriving now and no one has batted an eye. I am sure he is eagerly waiting my departure so that he might convey his feelings to you." He took her hand to kiss her knuckles as was customary of a gentleman and both were surprised to hear a deep, almost guttural, growl emanate from the raven-haired teen.

Hitoshi laughed. "Calm down, son. You've got nothing to worry about. I'll be looking into your ventures from now on and you can thank this little lady right here. If you managed to capture the heart of someone as humble and astute as her, I'm sure it had little to do with just your family name. I'll be seeing more of you in the future, I think. Good evening to you both." He bowed once more and walked away.

"Kyouya, what's the matter? You haven't sa-" She was interrupted by another couple who sought their conversation.

Since Kyouya was still uninterested in speaking, Haruhi called upon every hosting skill she had acquired in the eight months since she broke the vase. No sooner had that couple had left after pledging their security technologies to Ootori Medical than another man approached and struck a conversation with her. For the next hour, Kyouya stood in silence while Haruhi charmed every man and woman who came up to them. They streamed in groups of two or three and she entertained them all. None of them left without offering some olive branch with Kyouya's family's business.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, dinner is served. If you will please come into the dining room, you will be shown to your seats," a butler called from the doors to the same hall Haruhi had soaked in a Frenchman's blood only a month ago.

"Kyouya, what's wrong? Are you okay?" Haruhi whispered to her escort who had still not said a word all night. Her concern was evident in her eyes.

"Attention, ladies and gentlemen," Yoshio started, tapping his knife on a glass. Haruhi cursed her luck. Her attempts to find out what was bothering Kyouya had been foiled by yet another interruption. "I trust everyone is enjoying themselves here this evening." Murmurs and nods circled around the long table. "I hope you all have found this event to be an enlightening one and I anticipate a prosperous next quarter for each of us. As many of you know, I have three extraordinary sons, each a credit to his lineage. However, only one may be named my heir and I standing before you tonight to name him.

"Yuuichi, my eldest son, you have set the bar very high for your brothers. Graduate of Ouran Academy and Tokyo University at the top of your class and you excel as the country's top pediatric surgeon, however, I am afraid that you lack the business knowledge it takes to run a company. I believe you are best suited exactly as you are: overseeing the care of Japan's future." Yuuichi nodded, accepting his father's decision. He hadn't wanted the position anyway. He saw more value in his work as a children's surgeon. His wife squeezed his hand under the table. She knew how he felt and was relieved her husband would not be away from her day and night.

"Akito, you are my second son. You have met every expectation I have ever had of you and are well on your way to following your elder brother's footprints, nearly to the letter, with the only exception being your field of study. I have a strong belief that you will do your family proud in the world of medicinal development, but you lack the creativity it takes to run a corporation. Your mind is better suited to the exact, the numbers and figures that developing drugs requires." Akito was floored and more than a little pissed. He was furious. He and his elder brother had done everything that was expected of them and they were passed over for the patriarchy?!

"Kyouya, my youngest son, I have placed more upon your shoulders than those of your brothers. You, in turn, rebelled. In recent years, you have rebuffed, even shirked your responsibility, you've turned your nose up at all reasonable options for clubs and indulged in your fancies to the utmost. You snubbed the demands I have made of you only to follow your own pursuits as you willed. You've maintained your brothers' positions as the top of your class, as expected, but you have accomplished much more. You have forged your own path in the world as only a second year in high school. You have proven yourself worthy. And so, ladies and gentlemen, I hereby announce my third son, Ootori Kyouya, to be the next patriarch of our family, my successor, upon my departure from this plane."

Polite applause followed the announcement from everyone in attendance. Haruhi took a keen glance around the room at those she had spoken with and most of them were sitting a little straighter than they had been only moments ago with several leaning forward with interest. Kyouya sat next to her, still unmoving, his eyes shielded from her. She slammed her heel on his toes under the table while grinning excitedly at him.

"Thank you, father. I hope to continue earning the position you have so graciously bestowed upon me." He spoke stiffly and through a voice that was slightly raspy after almost two hours of disuse. Thankfully most of the guests attributed it to being choked up with emotion. Haruhi, unable to contain her excitement, threw her arms around his shoulders, hugging him tightly, not a care in the world that there were over 150 pairs of eyes on them. Goodhearted laughter rolled around the table at her display.

"I'm so proud of you, Kyouya," she whispered into his ear. She felt him hesitantly pat her back. Pulling back smiling at him, she finally saw past the glare of his glasses.

The depth of expression in his eyes was enough to almost knock the wind out of her. Excitement, love, lust, his struggling desire to control that lust, his pride, his joy, all swirled around in the storm of his steel grey eyes. They captivated her.

"I see _someone_ is very excited for you," Yoshio smirked, hunger in his eyes, staring at Haruhi, a look he had been giving her all night as she dazzled the room, bringing in more deals on her own than his three sons combined. "I am glad, for what is a man without a good woman at his side, am I right gentlemen?" A deep chorus of 'cheers' followed his statement while the ladies all exchanged knowing grins with each other. Haruhi allowed a blush to come to her cheeks and she shrugged her shoulders, appearing endearingly embarrassed. In truth, she was really unnerved by the way he looked over her as if she were a prize deer. She _felt_ like a deer caught in headlights. Yoshio sat and the meal commenced. Conversation picked up around the long, rectangular table, and Haruhi finally saw her chance to get to the bottom of her 'boyfriend's' taciturn attitude.

"Kyouya," she started for a third time, casually glancing around in fear of being interrupted again. "Why have you been so silent tonight? You know I don't know anything about business deals and yet you're making me talk to everybody."

"I…I'm sorry, love. I have been wracking my brain all evening, trying to find the words to convey just how bewitching you are. I'm sorry to have put you in such an uncomfortable position but you have had me completely spellbound, mind and body. I haven't spoken because I _couldn't_. My sincerest apologies if you took it to mean anything less."

Haruhi blinked, not expecting an answer of that depth. Ootori Kyouya almost never apologized and he certainly never apologized three times at once. The true power of his emotions, the longing in his voice, caused her heart to flutter in her chest.

"I see," she replied, stunned. "And what about that growl you made when Hitoshi-san kissed the back of my hand?" A faint sprinkling of pink dusted his cheeks. So light that if one were not looking for it, they would miss it. But it was there all the same and it shocked her. Had she ever seen the Shadow King embarrassed before?

"Ah, yes, well, I'll admit, that was a rather barbaric reaction to something so mundane and I do apologize for it. But perhaps now you finally see what you do to me, Fujioka Haruhi. You alone cause me to lose all sense of self, to react on my most base instincts. You see, I am a very jealous sort of man, especially when I have a woman worth holding on to." He squeezed her hand under the table. She gave him another beaming smile. "However, I might be persuaded to let go of my jealousy for one night, if the price is right." He smirked.

"Oh? And what price might that be?" She asked innocently, glad her own plans seemed to be back on track. She'd worried they might have to be put off if Kyouya was angry and she figured if they had to be postponed, she'd chicken out.

"Dance with me, hime." Her smile grew soft.

"Any time, Kyouya." She squeezed his hand in return and they attended to their multi-course meals. Haruhi had never seen such a vast array of cutlery but she kept up by being only a half second behind her partner in silverware selection. No one suspected a thing, not even Kyouya himself. When the final course had been digested and couples were heading over to the ballroom, the guests were informed that there would be a dessert buffet displayed for their pleasure to replenish their energy while dancing.

"Shall we mesmerize the room, hime?" Kyouya asked, guiding her onto the dancefloor as the hired orchestra began the first waltz.

"Let's," she replied, her smile already captivating the heart of the raven-haired teen all over again. The two took to the center of the room and began the dance. They flowed together, perfectly in synch, spinning, gliding, twirling, Kyouya even lifting the petite woman to show her off in every respect. By the time the music ended and he was leading her away, they had every eye riveted.

"Brother, you shouldn't keep the gem of the ball to yourself. Let someone else occupy her time, will you?" Akito suggested, approaching the pair. Kyouya narrowed his eyes.

"If she wishes the company of another, she is free to do so. I will, of course, not prevent her from making her own choices."

"What do you say, my dear? Would you care for a dance with me?"

"Akito-san, you do me honor by asking," she replied, bowing. She really didn't want to stand with Kyouya's second brother and she _really_ didn't like the pet name he used, but she knew it would be rude to decline a request from anyone.

He would have been a tolerable partner at best, but his hands kept straying where they shouldn't, and she had to keep discreetly replacing them. He also kept leering at her in a way that made her incredibly uncomfortable, while making backhanded comments.

"My brother is very lucky to have such an engaging young woman by his side. I wouldn't get too comfortable if I were you, though. If Father really has made him the heir, then he'll already have an omiai set up and probably two or three besides." _'Ha! You have no idea how in the dark you really are.'_ Haruhi thought to herself. "Now, me on the other hand, it won't matter who I marry anymore, and I believe you'll find I can be a lot more _entertaining_ than my youngest brother." He spun her out and slid his arm up her waist as she came back in to prove his point.

"Akito-san, aren't you already engaged?" She asked, casually bringing his hand back to what was considered appropriate. "What about Chizue-san?"

"Her? Just some air-head daughter of a corporate executive. I would be rid of her tonight if I thought it would give me the chance at you. You're fun, exciting, wild, unpredictable. Aside from your pedigree, you're everything I could ever wish for in a woman." His nonchalant attitude and wandering hands were starting to piss her off.

"I am flattered by your attention, Akito-san, but I would ask that while I am still with your brother, you respect that boundary," she retorted icily, once again shifting a traveling hand.

"That kind of spunk is exactly what I'm talking about. Surely you must be teasing me on purpose. No one is _that_ naïve."

"I can assure you, _sir_ , I mean no disrespect by spurning your advances, but my loyalties lie with your brother. While Kyouya still holds my regard, I will not betray him. He is my friend first and foremost." When the music ended, she let him guide her back to Kyouya without a fuss but her eyes were burning in fury.

"You have quite a woman, little brother, don't let her go." Akito warned. He kissed the back of her knuckles and she allowed it for society's sake, but the second she though no one was looking, she furiously wiped her gloved hand on her gown. Kyouya chuckled in amusement.

"Didn't enjoy yourself with my older brother?" He had been watching them like a hawk, noting every time his Haruhi had needed to reposition a hand, practically feeling the waves of anger emanating from her, and already had a plan in mind for his brother's graduation in May. A very third-rate hospital was about to get a very first-rate developmental pharmaceutical expert.

"Oh yeah, my time with your brother was absolutely fucking peachy," she mumbled. "I can't decide the best part, his sexual assault or his insistence that you're going to drop me at the first omiai or that he'd make a more exciting partner." She knew that no one could hear her but the raven-haired teen but she still zipped her lips quickly when they were approached by the eldest brother.

"Miss Fujioka, would you do me the honor of taking a turn around the dancefloor?" She smiled.

"Of course, Yuuichi-san." He took her hand and led her to the center of the room. This brother was perfectly respectful, congratulating her on her skills with entertaining the other guests, asking about her father. In turn, she wished him luck in his career. She left the ballroom floor feeling in much better spirits than with the previous brother.

"Miss Fujioka, may I intrude upon your time for the next waltz?" More than ever, she wanted to stay by Kyouya's side, or even go home early and forget her plans with the Shadow King. She slowly turned around and faced her 'boyfriend's' father.

"Ootori-sama, you do me great honor." She bowed to him before taking his arm.

"I am impressed, Miss Fujioka. You have managed to secure business relations with nearly every prominent owner in attendance," he said, curtly.

"What can I say, sir, I learned a lot participating in that useless club of Kyouya's. The art of conversation and networking is one of the most important things we do in the Host Club."

"Perhaps I may have misjudged Kyouya's endeavors. There seems to have been more thought put in than its initial appearance suggests. However, such frivolities will no longer be tolerated now that he has been named my heir. I will harbor no distractions from his learning his way around the position."

"With all due respect, Ootori-sama, do you really think you can prevent him from attending to the club he has built from the ground up with Tamaki-senpai? Kyouya is a very determined individual, who will not be deterred by anything he does not see merit to." He spun her out and back in, their waltz more of a tango of wit.

"I am well aware of his attachment to the club and the Suoh boy, having encouraged the connection to the Suohs from the start. But it will not matter in the end. Kyouya will turn his head away from the fantasies of that boy and towards his future one way or another. If he had only let the boy go with Tonnerre back to France, it would have been easier, but such is life. I'm still not sure why you kids went after him. Perhaps you could enlighten me?"

"Simple. He is our friend and catering to his grandmother's wishes like that would have led to his misery. We couldn't let that happen, so we stopped it."

"He wouldn't have been miserable, he could have been with his mother again. You and your friends ripped him away from that chance." Haruhi, already thinking about how she could use that information, smiled.

"I'm sure it may seem that way, but as you said, it was only a chance. We would rather have kept him away from that chance than for him to find himself married and lied to. We took the risk, as none of us trusted Eclaire. And for good reason it seems, as evidenced by that family's attempt on your lives. Tamaki is our friend and we would protect him from heartbreak. Just as we would protect any of our club from similar fates." Her subtle threat was not lost on Yoshio who narrowed his eyes dangerously.

"Take care, Miss Fujioka, your friends may be too powerful to be easily manipulated. But you are not. It would be nothing to buy out your father's irreputable business and your apartment building and make your life a living hell. I could do it before we left the dancefloor."

"You could, that's true, but if you do, control will not fall to you, but rather, to Kyouya, whom you've just publicly named your heir. If you believe, for a second, he would allow any misfortune to befall us, you couldn't be more mistaken. What would it say to the public that Kyouya let his commoner girlfriend become homeless? That wouldn't look good, would it?"

"I can simply order him to break up with you under the threat of losing his position." Haruhi shook her head, grinning like the cat who ate the canary.

"Wrong again, Ootori-sama. The business with Tonnerre should have told you this much, but Kyouya couldn't care less for what you _give_ him. He _took_ what he wanted and still owns the company, even if you run it. So, unless you want to give him grounds to fire you, causing another publicity scandal, you will do nothing. Besides, if you decided to change your mind after publicly announcing your intent to make Kyouya your successor, you'd look indecisive and weak, two things you really don't want to look right after the Tonnerre fiasco.

"So, you see, you don't have a leg to stand on, do you? You can't touch our Club without creating the biggest business scandal Japan has ever seen. Do you know what you're going to do, Ootori-sama? You're going to drop all this nonsense about Kyouya focusing on business 'one way or another', you're going to never suggest or order him to leave the Club, and you're going to appreciate your son's efforts, because you can be damned sure he doesn't make them for you anymore."

The music faded, and the brunette bowed to her partner before talking his arm to be guided back to the raven-haired teen, her head held high. She could feel the frustration and fury rolling off Yoshio in waves, though only those who knew him would see his anger and knowing he could do nothing about it gave her a level of satisfaction and pride she thought she wouldn't achieve until her graduation from Law School. She had just completely emasculated the head of the largest zaibatsu in the country! And it felt good. Until he leaned in to whisper something into her ear. Something that made her blood freeze, that made her want to turn and run.

For the next two hours, she danced and charmed every executive and son of executive who requested her hand. Kyouya became increasingly frustrated, watching the display. Yes, he knew she was her own person who could take care of herself and she was currently making a huge splash in the business world, all for his sake, and yes, he'd promised to relinquish his jealousy, but damnit, he wanted her! He wanted to know what had been said between her and his father. He wanted to solicit her time exclusively. Thankfully, she came back to him for the final dance of the evening where they dazzled the audience once more with the beauty of their movements. She was the bell of the ball, and he was the dark prince who was only light for her. The guests loved that analogy and the Christmas Party ended in high spirits.


	38. The Unexpected Task

The Unexpected Task

"Are you ready to go, hime?" She nodded, accepting her clutch and cloak from the manservant with a quiet 'thank you'. Her nerves were starting to run wild but she steeled herself and allowed him to guide her to the limo. All she wanted to do was get home so she could call an emergency meeting, screw the earlier plan.

"Are you alright?" Kyouya asked, indicating her bouncing leg.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, fine," she replied, distractedly. His fingers cupped her chin, turning her face to his.

"Haruhi, you're not fooling anyone. Something has you anxious and I'd appreciate if you didn't insult my intelligence by telling me 'it's nothing'. What is on your mind?"

"Alright, what if I told you it was nothing you need to concern yourself with?"

"I'd say you were full of it. Something that happened at _my_ house that has you _this_ on edge is definitely something that concerns me. What exactly did my father say to you?" She blinked in surprise that he would reach that conclusion so fast. "Have you so little faith in me, Haruhi?" He asked before explaining his reasoning.

"You were fine during negotiations and during dinner so whatever happened must have been while you were dancing. Aikito made you agitated but nothing to this extent and you spoke freely about it to me, something you're not doing now. You were fine with Yuuichi and with my father except for one brief moment when he whispered in your ear and whatever he said made you panic. So I repeat, what was it?"

The limo pulled up to her apartment and she was out the door before the driver had time to open his. Kyouya was just as quick to follow. "I'm sorry, Kyouya, I promise, I'll tell you. I just need a little time, okay? Please, just give me a little time." He stopped short. She was really freaking out about whatever his father had told her and he knew that he could probably find out what it was if he was home.

"Okay, alright. Take all the time you need, hime. Just know that you can come to me. I will be there for you, no matter what." He stepped back into the limo, determined to help his princess from the home front.

"Thank you," she whispered, watching the vehicle disappear around the corner. She hurried into the house, first making sure her father was at work, then conference calling her two cohorts.

"Guys, I need you now. Get over here as fast as you can, okay? Actually, strike that. Can you meet me at Mitsui Garden? Yes, Nagisa, I know you'll have to either sneak out or convince your mom to let you out but this is important. _Please_! Just give them my codename at the front desk, they'll tell you the room number. Oh, thank gods. Okay, I have to go, I should be there within an hour tops. Thank you, love you both, see you soon."

She hung up the phone and raced to her room unzipping her dress as she went. After carelessly tossing it in the hamper, she spun around to the back of her closet, pushing clothes aside until she found an outfit she thought she'd never use again. Discarding the blue outerwear in favor of just the black pants and undershirt, she put it on with her black combat boots before grabbing her backpack, phone, and wallet and slipped silently into the night.

She raced along the rooftops, sticking to the shadows where buildings became scarce or too tall once she reached downtown. She slipped into the fancy hotel unseen and made her way up to the room that had been reserved for her with a vastly different purpose in mind. She briefly wondered what that path would have been like before shaking her head and concentrating on the situation at hand. She tossed her phone on the table in front of the couch and began pacing the room, anxiously awaiting her friends.

"Haruhi, what is going on?" Ritsu asked, panicking.

"I'll tell you when the others get here. I'd rather not have to repeat myself." The pink-haired girl kept quiet. Twenty minutes later, there was a soft knock at the door. She peeked through the peep hole to see a short bluenette standing impatiently. Haruhi breathed a sigh of relief before opening the door.

"Thank you so much for coming, 'Gisa!" She said, hugging him tightly before shoving him inside and looking up and down the hall, suspiciously.

"Okay, what is the big emergency? My mom just about had a control relapse when I told her I where I was going. Managed to smooth it over but she's still not happy."

"I'm sorry, 'Gisa," she replied, nervously fiddling with her fingers. "But can we please wait until Karma gets here so I don't have to repeat myself?"

"Yeah, sure," he said, finally taking stock of his friend. He hadn't seen her this disheveled and unnerved since he sat with her through a thunderstorm. "Here, why don't you sit down, at least?" He guided her to the couch where she sat for all of two minutes before jumping up, grabbing the stuffed panda off the bed, and pacing again. He looked at the wine, glasses, and chocolate on the table next to her phone. "Uh, Haruhi? What's all this stuff? This is your room, right?"

"Wha-? Of course it is. That stuff? It's a long story and one I really don't feel like getting into right now, okay?"

"Alright, I won't pry. But why don't you have a drink? It might help to calm you down a bit." He didn't care that they weren't drinking age, he just didn't like seeing one of his best friends so upset. He struggled with the cork for a moment before the bottle was ripped out of his hands. Haruhi popped the cork like a pro and poured both glasses full and took a healthy swig from hers. She brightened a bit at the light, crisp flavor, so different from those overpowering drinks her father made at home.

 _'Thanks, PB. Good choice.'_ Haruhi plopped back down on the couch next to her friend and opened the box of chocolates that was next to the ice bucket. Popping one in her mouth, she offered the box to Nagisa who declined. She shrugged her shoulders, tossed another one into her mouth and took another swig of wine. She put the box back on the table, thinking about what had happened at the party and why she had sounded the alarm. Perhaps it was because the wine was stronger than it seemed or because she'd had time to process, but she was starting to reconsider just how big an emergency it really was. She took a third drink and breathed deeply.

"That is better, thanks, Nagisa," she smiled slightly, still hugging the soft panda. It was about half an hour after that, when Haruhi had emptied her glass and filled it up twice more and Nagisa had drank about half of his, and they heard a patterned knock on the door. Haruhi went to answer it, only after verifying that it was Karma on the other side and threw herself into his arms.

"Woah, okay, Haru, calm down, whatever's going on, it's gonna be okay, I promise," the red head soothed, stroking her hair. He looked at the room around him, his eyes falling questionably on the chocolates and wine. Nagisa shrugged his shoulders. "What kind of emergency is this? Wine? Fancy candy? Swanky hotel room? Seems more like a date but there are three of us. No judgements, but I didn't think you'd be into that kind of thing." He watched in amusement as the bluenette turned bright red and felt Haruhi shaking in his arms.

Despite the fear she felt, Haruhi found herself chuckling and lightly punched his chest. She really was grateful to have him on her side. He always knew just how to cheer her up or calm her down. Thinking back at what she had been planning to do with Kyouya, she was almost glad for the turn of events that led to the raven haired teen going home. "Thanks, Karma," she mumbled quietly, a small smile on her face. It grew when she felt him kiss the top of her head.

"Anytime, Haru. Now, think you can tell me what this is all about?" Immediately she felt the smile slide from her face. She stepped back from his arms, lamenting the loss of warmth and went back to sit on the couch, filling her glass once more.

"Uh…Haruhi, don't you think you've had enough?" Ritsu asked, concerned. When Karma looked at her, she clarified. "She's had three glasses already."

"Yeah, you're cut off. Save some for the rest of us, will ya?" Karma replied, snatching her glass out of her hand before she had a chance to react and taking a sip himself. "Now will you please stop leaving us in suspense and tell us what's going on?"

She sighed, annoyed that they had taken away the one thing that was making her feel better. "Guys, I think I'm compromised." The silence that followed that statement was so oppressive, all she could do was grab the panda and bury her face in the soft fur.

"What makes you think that?" Nagisa asked calmly, touching her shoulder. Inside, he was anything but. However, until he knew more, he was going to hold off on freaking out completely. Karma sat on her other side and wrapped his arm around her.

"At the party earlier, while we were all dancing, Yoshio had asked me for a waltz. I couldn't turn him down, obviously, so we get out there and he starts talking about how Kyouya was going to leave the club so he could focus on the business. He was named successor by the way. Anyway, it made me mad so I calmly explained how he was a dumbass, not in so many words, I promise," she clarified as her three friends threatened laughter. "Our waltz finished and I was feeling pretty damn good about myself. But when he guided me back to Kyouya, he leaned down and whispered in my ear. Creepy as it felt, what he said had me ready to bolt." She stopped speaking, her fear starting to override the lightness she had from the wine.

"What'd he say, Haru? Come on," Karma muttered, leaning his head in close.

"The moon is lovely, isn't it?" She whispered.

"That's not so bad, is it?" Nagisa asked, almost sighing in relief. "Were you guys near a window or something?" His relief was short-lived when she shook her head.

"Calm down, you two, let's not jump the gun here. Ritsu, did you find anything on his computer to suggest he knows about 3-E when you went snooping around? Did you leave any trace of your presence?"

"No, I was little more than a ghost when I was in those computers and phones," she answered, trying not to sound too offended. "As to finding anything about 3-E or Korosensei, I didn't really look but I did download everything into my mainframe back on the mountain. You guys need to get up there anyway so you can get your disguises and the wasp. We can go over what I have and find out for sure, though everything I have is only what I could pull digitally. It won't have any physical documents. Were you able to get the succinylcholine from Karasama-sensei?"

"I thought we were nixing the wasp because the poison didn't match the wasp victims' COD?" Haruhi asked, remembering what Smog had told her about succinylcholine deaths looking like heart attacks instead of anaphylactic shock. She did feel relieved by her pink haired friend's plan though.

"Oh right! Shit…well how are you going to get out without arousing any suspicion?" Ritsu replied.

"We'll cross that bridge later. First we have to figure out if Haruhi's actually compromised and if so, how much Yoshio knows." Nagisa said, determined.

"How about we pay a visit to the mountain tomorrow then?" Karma suggested. "It's Sunday. None of us have school."

"And we're out until the new year, which means the entire host club will be banging on my door at about seven in the morning," Haurhi interrupted. "Or at least the club, sans you because they don't know where you live. I was out with the girls all day today and then spent most of the night at Kyouya's house for the party. Tamaki-senpai and the twins are going to want me to spend some time with them. And by that, I mean occupy my entire day."

"Not if you sent them on an errand that would keep them off your tail," Ritsu replied.

"Yeah, like a scavenger hunt of some kind. Something that will take them all over the city and take up the whole day," Karma suggested. "You could even give them each different ones to keep them apart and slow them down."

"One: that would mean creating and setting up _six_ different scavenger hunts and have _six_ different prizes _tonight_. Two: Kyouya would still be way too quick to figure his out, so I wouldn't be left alone for long," Haruhi countered.

"Well, you have us helping you. Together, I'm sure we could come up with something that would stump your friends. Ootori included," Nagisa supplied. "A how-well-do-you-know-Haruhi scavenger hunt would be perfect. You could give them their first clues when they knock on your door that will lead to the next one and so on. It's only," Nagisa glanced at his watch, "about midnight now. We have plenty of time. And we can always bring blankets with us when we go to E-class and take a nap there once we're done."

"Okay," Haruhi said. The idea was beginning to have merit. She paused. _'Maybe I_ am _turning into a Shadow Princess.'_ "So then what would be the prize for the winner of the scavenger hunt? The person who finishes first, what do they get?"

"The person that wins gets to learn something new about you. Something you haven't told that person before." Karma suggested.

"Not good enough. It's gotta be something more enticing than just new information."

"How about what you want for Christmas? I'm gonna guess you didn't say anything about wanting a gift, right? So if you tell them that the winner of the scavenger hunt will get to learn what you want for Christmas." Ritsu offered.

"Two days before Christmas? That seems rudely short notice, don't you think?" The brunette reasoned.

"Would they care?" Karama asked.

"Probably not. Still seems rude though. And I don't know what to ask for, anyway."

"How about something special like a necklace or a bracelet with yours, your mother's, and your father's birthstones?" Haruhi looked at her bluenette friend in surprise.

"That'd be beautiful," she whispered, a gentle smile spreading over her face, her eyes glistening the more she thought about it. She had nothing like what Nagisa suggested and now that he had, she found herself really wanting it.

"Nice job, Nagisa. I'm impressed. Where'd you come up with an idea like that?" Karma asked.

"Got it for my mom one year for her birthday. It was the first time I'd ever seen her cry and the first time she'd given me a hug in years before that," the blunette answered, shrugging his shoulders.

"So how does that sound, Haru?" Karma asked gently, turning back to his girl. "We set up the scavenger hunt tonight and the winner gets to know about the necklace. While they work through their clues, we go to the mountain and find out for sure if Yoshio knows anything."

It was quiet for a few minutes while she thought it through. It seemed like a pretty fool-proof plan. She'd just have to come up with more challenging clues for her 'boyfriend'. The prize was something she would love and wear every day. She began to wonder who would actually win. It was a game centered around how well they really knew her and she didn't plan on making it easy. Her mind swirled around the different clues she could make. ' _Riddles would be fun but not that challenging. Maybe the clues should be one or two word hints?'_ She walked over to the desk and pulled out a sheet of paper, a pen, and some scissors and started writing things down. Karma and Nagisa followed her to look at what she was jotting.

"I take it, we're a go," Karma smirked.

Haruhi continued working in silence, writing clues down as they came to mind, nodding when Karma, Nagisa, or Ritsu offered a particularly good suggestion. When she had ten challenging clues per host, she stood back, looking over her sheet once more, and cut the clues into individual strips that she folded over and wrote a particular host's name on the outside. Then she placed the clues in six piles and the order they were to be found.

"I'll take care of the twins and Kyouya's. Nagisa, can you take care of Tamaki's and Mitsu's while Karma takes care of Mori's?" They nodded and she gave them each specific piles, pocketing her own and the first six clues. "Let's try to meet back at my house by six. We can nap there and wait for the hosts to show up. But first…" She skipped away from them, jumped over the couch, and downed the rest of Nagisa's glass. "Mmmm, yum!" She said, licking her lips and packing the chocolates into her backpack. Her friends just laughed at her. "Now, we can head out. Call me if you have any questions."

They walked out of the hotel together and went their separate ways. Haruhi decided to go to Karuizawa first to lay her clues that pertained to that location. "I will give you a hundred-thousand yen if you will drive me for the whole night," she said to the first cab driver who stopped. He nodded eagerly. An hour and a half later, her cab was pulling up to Hotel Misuzu. She gave Kaoru's next clue to him, told him what she was doing, and received his promise to hold onto it until the younger twin showed up. She left and he laughed at her game. It took another twenty minutes to find the abandoned church she had hid in when Hikaru found her.

After laying his next clue on the alter, she turn and had her driver to take her to the beach where she had been attacked. She slipped into the Ootori beachhouse undetected and laid Kyouya's clue on the bed where he'd once attempted to prove Tamaki's point. She shuddered, remembering how close she was to panicking when he pushed her down. In truth, she was just taking a stab in the dark when she'd called him out and praying to every god she knew of that she was right. She slipped out, equally as silent and went to her next destination. Four and a half hours later, the pair pulled up to Haruhi's apartment, the brunette dead on her feet.

"Thank you so much for all your help tonight. I really appreciate it," she said, handing over the agreed upon amount.

"Not at all, I'm glad I stopped. You've been the most entertaining passenger I've ever had. If you ever need another ride, give me a call!" Her new friend, Kenzou gave her his number and wished her a good day, knowing the young girl had a long one coming.

Haruhi unlocked her door and trudged into her apartment, exhausted. She was a half hour beyond their scheduled rendezvous time but she could not bring herself to care. She walked in and let out a tired chuckle at Nagisa and Karma sleeping on opposite ends of the couch, their legs tangled together. She stumbled into her room and collapsed on her bed, fully clothed.

Thirty minutes later, she was drawn out of sleep by obnoxious pounding on her front door, making her incredibly pissed off. Her bedroom filled with the Host Club third demon. She could see the red flames of Karma's ire filling the living room mixing, interestingly enough, with the ice blue chill of Nagisa's fury. She looked down at herself and realized she was still in her black attire from the night before. Haruhi stripped and put on the first nightgown she could grab before stomping through the house, through the different colors of her equally enraged friends.

When the front door opened, tendrils of ice, fire, and darkness lunged for the now shaking hosts. Not even Kyouya and Mori could hide how unnerved they were by the sudden encounter with the three infuriated assassins, though their reactions were much more subtle than their cohorts.

" _Do you have any idea how little sleep we've gotten?"_ Haruhi seethed, causing Tamaki and the twins to hide behind Mori and Honey to jump onto Mori's shoulders crying.

"I don't understand why you've had so little sleep, Haruhi, I dropped you off at a reasonable time last night. If you stayed up later than that, it's your fault, not ours." The hosts stared open-mouthed at Kyouya, simultaneously fearing for his life and applauding his nerve to stoke the flames of fury further. Haruhi's demon aura were quick to attack the Shadow King, surrounding him in their darkness before suddenly snapping back and diminishing to nothing.

"You're right, Kyouya. I'm sorry, everyone. How about you all come in and I'll start some tea," she replied pleasantly. Seeing her reaction, Nagisa and Karma drew back their own demons and adapted a more hospitable demeanor. The hosts seemed more terrified than ever at the abrupt change. The three stepped back and allowed their friends to cross. It was deathly silent in the apartment. Haruhi kept it so as she and her cohorts moved to the kitchen. She and Nagisa passed out the cups a short time later, handing Kyouya a cup of black coffee instead. When brunette, red head, and bluenette sat down, she smiled eerily at the hosts.

"What brings you guys over at _seven in the morning_?" She asked, politely.

"W-w-well," Hikaru stammered.

"You-you see, H-haruhi," his twin joined.

" **It's all Tono's fault!** " They cried together.

"WHAT?! No! But…well…I mean…" The younger blond sputtered.

"Are you still mad at us for waking you up, Haru-chan? We're sorry."

"Now why would I be mad, Mitsu? I only just spent the whole day yesterday out because my girlfriends decided I needed a spa day before the party at Kyouya's that ran until eleven. Then there was homework to complete, chores to do." Throughout this whole speech, she maintained the same calm, chipper attitude. It was a real creepy effect and no one was immune. "Well, Tamaki-senpai? Why are you all here?"

"I-I-I-I w-wanted us-s-s to all spend s-some t-t-time together. As a-a-a-a family."

Before he was even done stuttering his way through the explanation, Haruhi was shaking her head. "Nope. Not gonna happen. Not today, anyway." Nagisa And Karma smirked behind their tea.

" **Why not?** " The twins asked. " **And can you put away that murder at midnight grin of yours?** "

"I don't want to," she responded simply, answering both questions at once.

"It won't be as much fun without you, Haru-chan! Please?" Those watery light brown eyes did nothing for her.

"Haruhi, if you come with us, I'll make sure they leave you alone until after the new year," Kyouya offered.

"Tempting, _dear_ , but I was going to invite you all over for the day after Christmas anyway. I'll be making dinner and I've got gifts for you all. If you don't have your own plans, of course."

"I think that can be arranged." He looked to his fellow hosts to see them all nodding vigorously.

"Well, then your offer is rendered invalid." She smirked. "What if I offered a suggestion? A game of sorts."

" **A game?** " The twins were immediately hooked. Tamaki looked excited too.

"Haru-chan's gonna play with us, Takashi! Yay!" Honey exclaimed, bouncing in his seat.

"Sounds fun," the older black haired teen replied.

"What kind of game?" Kyouya narrowed his eyes. To say he was suspicious was an understatement. She had never instigated things like this before. That behavior was usually left to the twins and Tamaki, and occasionally Honey.

"A game I spent all night setting up." She grinned.

"But you said you were up doing homework and chores!" Tamaki accused.

"No I didn't," she responded innocently. "I said I had homework and chores to do. Not that I did them." She grinned like the cat that caught the canary. "I've actually been working all night on this game for you guys. With some help, of course. There's no way I could have done it all on my own. By the way, thanks you two."

"No problem, Haru," Karma said, slinging an arm over her shoulders.

"Yeah, anytime." Nagisa repeated the red head's actions. The kissed her cheeks at the same time, leaving her giggling.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY DAUGHTER!" Haruhi sobered.

"Shut the hell up, senpai, unless you don't want to hear what this game is all about."

"Eeep!"

" **So what's the game about, Haruhi?** " The twins asked, snickering at Tamaki's latest demise.

"It's a scavenger hunt," she replied, grinning again. "All about how well you know me."

" **Oh, we're so in!** "

"Me too, Haru-chan!" Mori nodded his agreement.

"I thought you would say that," Haruhi laughed. "What about you two?"

"Of course I'm playing! And I'm gonna win because nobody knows daughter better than daddy!"

"What _does_ the winner get, assuming that would be the person who knows you best?" Kyouya asked, still suspicious of her motives.

"I will tell the winner what I want for Christmas." There was a brief moment of shocked silence. Then Tamaki, Hikaru, Kaoru, and Honey were all tripping over each other and shoving each other out of the way to get to the door. "WAIT!" They froze, turning their heads back to her. "You're gonna want your first clue, aren't you?"

"Oh. Right, sorry, Haru-chan." They shuffled back, sheepishly.

"So, are you in, Kyouya?"

"I suppose." He would never admit how much he was now determined to win this game of hers. She had never asked for anything from them except their loyalty and friendship, something willingly given. To know that there was a material possession she had in mind to ask for had his eyes gleaming in anticipation.

"Good. 'Gisa, can you get my backpack out of my room? I'm kinda too tired to get back up." He chuckled and retrieved the requested item. "Mitsu, these are for you. I had a feeling you guys would be showing up early today which means you probably haven't had any sweets yet." She tossed the box of chocolates at her eldest senpai. "Sorry a few of them are gone. They're really good."

"It's okay, Haru-chan, thank you!" He immediately started devouring the remaining candies. "These _are_ yummy! Thank you so much!"

"No problem," she giggled, digging into the front pouch of her bag where the first clues were. "Ah-ha! There they are." She brought out the folded slips and divvyed them up among the hosts.

" **Ours are different**!" Hikaru and Kaoru exclaimed.

"What kind of clue is this?" Kyouya asked, revealing a series of numbers.

"Takashi, look! Ours are different too!"

"Hm."

"What does obnoxious mean?" Tamaki asked, frowning at his paper.

"Each of your clues leads to your next location. Each location is either a place we've been together, a place I've mentioned to you, or a place that can be found on my public records. Each clue is either going to be one to three cryptic words long, a date, or a phone number. There are two reasons all of your clues are different. The first is because there are things I have with each of you individually that we have not all been together for. The second is to make it more of a challenge. If you were paired up, you'd go through it too fast.

"Now, you cannot contact anyone for extra hints, not my father, not my E-class friends, not anyone. I know where each of your last clues are so when you've found all ten, you will text me a picture of yourself in the final location. Some of you will have clues in the same location but they are all marked with your names and I'm sure you wouldn't want to give your opponent a leg up in the competition, would you?" She watched as they all shook their heads. "There will also be no sabotage. Don't let me find out you've cheated in this game or you won't like what happens. You have until the end of the day to find all ten of your clues. You'll all meet back here at ten tonight. I'll have snacks and we can all hang out here talking about your days. I'm excited to hear how you figure out your clues."

"Wow, Haruhi, when you put together a game," Hikaru said in awe.

"You really go all out," Kaoru completed.

"That sounds do-able. Well, gentlemen, this ought to be an interesting day. Come along, Haruhi, Karma, and Nagisa all put a lot of work into this and we wouldn't want to disappoint them."

"Thanks, Haru-chan! I'm so excited! I can't wait to get started!"

"Tamaki has already left," Mori said, annoyed by the blonde's head start. He wanted to make sure he had all the information first.

"That cheating son of a-" Hikaru growled.

"Well, I guess that means he won't hear the last thing I have to mention then," Haruhi interrupted. Five heads swiveled from the door to her grinning face. "Your clues aren't limited to the city."

"You mean they could be anywhere?" Kaoru asked, nervously.

"Well, the clues do lead to a specific location that's obvious when you figure it out. But they just won't all lead to places within Tokyo. I did say I spent all night on this." She winked. "Alright, that was the last thing. You guys can get started now."

In seconds, they were all calling their separate limos to take them to the places the clues led. While waiting, some were talking excitedly about the competition, others were trying to think of the various places their clues could be hidden. One by one the hosts left, until it was just Honey waiting.

"This was all just a ploy to get us out of your hair for the day, so you four can plan isn't it? Sneaky Haru-chan," He accused, laughing.

"Well, yes, and no. If I wanted you out of my hair _that_ badly, I could just threaten to leave the club. But when Karma suggested the scavenger hunt, it sounded fun. So I wrote down all the clues and we put them in their locations. I only finished a half hour before you all showed up pounding on the door. I don't know when they finished but they were both asleep when I got back."

"An hour," Karma said.

"Forty minutes," Nagisa contributed.

"Wow, you guys really did work hard. I take it you're going to crash again when I leave?"

"I wish. But like you said, we have some planning stuff to do today on the mountain, so we can't." Haruhi glanced longingly towards her room.

"We're bringing blankets and pillows so we can nap in the classroom," Nagisa reminded her.

"Oh yeah. Gods, I'm sleepy."

"Ok, well my ride's here. Do you guys want me to take you to your old school before I start on my scavenger hunt?"

"No, we'll take the train or a cab. You've already lost enough ground by being the last to be picked up. You go, okay?"

"Sure thing. Thanks for setting all this up for us. It's gonna be a lot of fun!" He ran out the door and the three remaining teens sighed.

"Well, shall we?" Karma asked.

"Yeah, just let me get changed first. Ritsu, can you send a message to Karasama-sensei and ask him to meet us there?" The pink haired girl nodded. Haruhi stood up and trudged into her room. She slipped on a pair of black yoga pants and a fitted, long-sleeved, pale pink shirt with a tiny lace trim.

"Cute," Nagisa complimented, having gathered all the blankets from the hall closet.

"Thanks," she replied, pulling out her phone. "Hey, Kenzou? Yeah, it's Haruhi. Listen, I know you just dropped me off a short while ago, but could you please come pick me and a couple friends back up? I'll pay double what you normally charge. Really? Are you sure? Alright, I'll see you soon then. Thank you!"

"Who was that?" Karma asked.

"The cab driver she had take her around all night, Ritsu replied, speaking from Nagisa's phone.

"Here you go, kids. Have a good day! Again, call anytime you need a ride, I'll be happy to be of service. And thanks again for the breakfast!" They waved as the kind man drove off.

"Ready you two?" Haruhi asked as she prepared to make her first trek up the well-known mountainside since March.

"As I'll ever be," Nagisa responded, somberly. She took their hands and they started the three best friends started their long hike.

"Hi, guys!" Ritsu's full LCD screen greeted them when they opened the classroom door. They returned her greeting, exhaustedly dropping their blankets on the floor and nearest desks.

"Hey kids, what's up?" They looked up to see a tall, spikey haired man with a severe expression.

" **Karasama-sensei!** " They all cried, suddenly filled with more energy. They all ran forward and Haruhi hugged him tightly.

"Didn't think you'd get here so fast, sir," Nagisa smiled.

"When it comes to my youngest team working on a mission, my priorities are rearranged. What can I do for you?"

"First thing's first, Ritsu, were you able to find anything about my cover being blown?" Haruhi asked nervously, turning to the large box still sitting in the corner.

"The only thing I've been able to find digitally are some of the news clips from the night he died. Somehow Yoshio got ahold of those." She played several of the videos at once, muting the sound.

"When were they accessed?" Karasama asked, suddenly all business.

"The night they were aired before they were taken down by the Ministry of Defense and the night Haruhi killed that French assassin." Karasama turned his gaze to the brunette, questioningly.

"I didn't kill him, he shot himself," she defended.

"You did slice off his ear, though," Karma reminded, his eyes glowing red.

"But I didn't kill him," she stuck her tongue out at the red head.

"That's enough, you two," Karasama interrupted as Karma looked ready to retort. "All this shows is that he knows Haruhi was involved with the class that was taught by the man who destroyed the moon."

"He knows I can fight too," Haruhi mentioned. "I had to, to subdue the assassin at dinner."

"That's still not much to go on. As long as your disguise for the hit is thorough, there should be no reason to worry. I'm impressed with your intuition to wait, by the way. Good job, Haruhi." She beamed. "That's not all, is it?"

Haruhi shook her head. "I'm sure you know all about Tamaki-senpai's history, being estranged from his mother and not knowing where she was?" Her four companions nodded, angry with his grandmother for issuing that edict.

"Well, last night at the Christmas party…jeez was it really only last night? Anyway, Yoshio let it slip to me that he would have been reunited with his mother if he had gone back to France as Eclaire Tonnarre's fiancé. My guess is that she works in the household but they for sure know where she is at least. Can you do a little digging and maybe bring her to Japan by the 26th? I want them to be together. No one should be without their mother if they don't have to be." She looked away, frowning. Karasama placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and when she looked back at him, her eyes were glistening. He gave her a comforting smile.

"I'll do what I can." She smiled gratefully in return.

"Before we forget," Nagisa said quietly, breaking the moment without shattering it. "Did you happen to bring the SUX with you? We figured you could give it to Karma for safe-keeping since he's emancipated and lives alone."

"I was going to drop it off closer to the third. It has to be kept in certain conditions or it will destabilize and be rendered useless. I'm proud of you kids. What you've put together in such a short amount of time and against the resourceful target you have is impressive. Haruhi, your tactic of dating the younger son under a pretense that suited him was brilliant. Karma, you infiltrating Haruhi's school and club was ingenious. Nagisa, I know it was you who planted the keycode for the youngest son to find. Your execution was flawless." Haruhi glanced at the bluenette.

"It was while you were off-grid," he answered her unspoken question. She nodded.

"What else needs to be done for your plan to succeed?" Karasama asked. The four shrugged. If Karasama didn't see anything to worry about when it came to her cover being blown, they wouldn't worry.

"Haruhi, Nagisa, and Karma need to try on the disguises I made," Ritsu replied. "And I still need to write out the email that I'm going to send to Yoshio from his supplier." Her voice darkened on the last word and everyone knew why.

"Haruhi, there's still time to back out of this if you want," Karasama offered.

"No. I'm seeing this mission through to the end. Whatever end that may be. I'll be fine. Just…have medical on stand-by when I reach the rendezvous point. I don't know how ugly this is going to get. I don't want…that…just as much as you guys. Do you know how long it takes for SUX to enter the bloodstream if it's drank?"

"Once he has taken the first sip, it will be approximately five minutes before it starts taking effect. Three more minutes until he is completely dead. I really wish you would just use the needle. Thirty seconds and he won't be able to move."

"But as I've mentioned before, no autopsy is going to overlook a needle prick. That'll be one of the first things they look for and we can't guarantee it'll be one of your men performing the exam. I'll just have to tease and evade until he collapses. Is there a way for me to turn off the earpiece once I'm in the room so Karma and Nagisa don't have to listen if it starts going south for me?"

"No. What if you can't turn it back on? They need to know what's happening so they know what to expect."

"If it gets to that point, Haru, we _want_ to listen. You won't be alone through that. If you have to suffer, so will we."

"He's right, Haruhi. We're in this together. Don't shut us out."

"Besides, even if you tune Karma and Nagisa out, _I'll_ still be able to hear because I'm wired directly into the communication devices. Turning them off won't eliminate me."

Haruhi breathed deeply before cracking her neck and smiling. "In that case, I just have to keep my part from going south, won't I?"

Karasama smiled. "That's the spirit. Now, if that's all, you kids go take a nap. I'll come back with lunch and start looking into bringing Tamaki Suoh's mother home to him. I think it's obvious after that festival of yours that his grandmother can't control him anymore. We shouldn't see a problem out of her." The teens all grinned at the determined look their old sensei got in his eyes when he was adamant about something. It was a look that promised results.

Three hours later, Haruhi's eyes fluttered open. She was in the middle of a snuggly dogpile in the middle of the classroom floor with Karma behind her and Nagisa in front of her. The red head had one arm tightly around her waist while the other acted as her pillow, the bluenette was holding both her hands in his and his forehead was nearly touching hers. She shifted slightly, freezing when the movement caused a still sleeping Karma to scoot flush against her back, his face nuzzling in the crook of her neck, red hairs tickling her exposed ear. Shivers of a different kind spread through her body and she felt her face grow warm. If that wasn't bad enough, Karasama chose that moment to come into her line of sight. Her face felt like it was burning.

"I had every intention of making them sleep behind the teacher's desk or in the faculty lounge but when you started having a nightmare, they wouldn't be dissuaded from your side," he explained in that no-nonsense manner of his. He was secretly proud of those boys in that moment and their refusal to leave their teammate suffering alone. It backed up their earlier words with action and should help to soothe Haruhi later during the mission. Karasama chuckled internally at her obvious embarrassment but wasn't quite sure how to ease her mind. It was a rather compromising position to wake up in, after all.

"What time is it," she asked quietly, trying not to wake her friends.

"Almost two in the afternoon. I have already called your father and told him you were out with me and a few others from class. He was rather…exuberant…in his gratefulness to me." They both sweatdropped, he from what was said, her from what she imagined was said. She wouldn't have been far off if she voiced her thoughts.

"Did you find anything out about Tamaki-senpai's mom?"

"I'll tell you what I found over lunch when these two wake up. Can you get out? You can help me set it up."

She laughed under her breath. "I don't know. This isn't exactly like the holds we learned in class." She gently slid her hands out from Nagisa's grip and when she pulled away, he rolled to his other side, clutching the blanket they were wrapped in. _'So far, so good,'_ she thought. She slowly picked Karma's arm and tried to move it away, pausing when he rolled onto his back. She carefully set his arm so that it slung across his stomach. Wiggling her way down to the bottom of the cover so that she could escape without letting in cold air that would wake them up, she crawled out and shivered as the cold hit her instead.

"Freezing in here, isn't it?" She asked, wrapping an extra blanket around her shoulders and wondering how her former teacher stayed so warm in just his suit.

"Not particularly. I believe you were just surrounded by extra warmth." He watched as the blush came rushing back to her face and gave her a half-smile. "Don't worry about it. Impressive maneuvering by the way. A useful skill if you ever get into the business with a similar MO to Irina. Offer's still on the table, you know. And there's nothing that says you can't also be a lawyer."

"I'll think about it," she replied sardonically. He ruffled her hair. They moved to the faculty lounge and chatted for another hour before two very groggy, disheveled boys found them and they all started eating.

"So, who won? It was me, right? Of course it was! Daddies always know their little girls better than anyone else!" It was almost ten-thirty and everyone was eating the Italian pasta meal she had made.

"Before I tell you all who the first person to text me a picture of themselves in their final location was, I have one final rule. No one can ask the winner what I told him. You will just have to wait until the day after Christmas when we exchange gifts. Agreed?"

" **Agreed** ," the six chorused.

She pulled out a board with their names covered up. "This includes the time I received your picture, down to the second. You'll understand why shortly. In sixth place," she pulled the last cover off. "Tamaki-senpai. The picture you sent me wasn't even in the right place, not to mention you were still the last to submit one." She paused while the twins laughed at his expense and waited for Tamaki to start planting his mushrooms. She probably would have tried to stop him, but she was running low on them in the kitchen. "Honestly, how did you get that you were supposed to go to a pool?!"

"W-w-well, my final clue said, 'wet bag'! Where else was I going to find swim bags?" She facepalmed, and she wasn't the only one. Almost everyone present suddenly had a handprint on their faces.

"It was referring to that first week when Ayanokoji threw my bag into the pond at school!"

"Oh."

Kyouya slapped the back of Tamaki's head. "Moron." The twins snickered. "Continue, hime."

"In fifth place," she revealed the corresponding name, "Mitsu-senpai, sorry."

"It's okay, Haru-chan," the smaller man said, smiling. "I got a late start and my driver hit a traffic jam on the way to my fourth location. I had a lot of fun anyway!"

"I'm glad. Now, fourth place and third place are almost tied. Hika, Kao, congratulations. Even separated and on different tasks, you two are synchronized. Kaoru earns third place by a margin of twenty-five seconds." The twins high-fived each other, despite being disappointed that neither won.

"Now, we are down to the final two spots and, honestly, are we surprised by the names that remain?" She laughed as most shook their heads. Kyouya smirked. He and Mori were the two most observant hosts in the club. It was no great shock that they were the last two men standing. Mori was the only host he would graciously concede defeat to in a contest such as this. Mori said nothing and gave nothing away. "The runner up, Hikaru, drum roll please." The older twin tapped his hands on the table as Haruhi revealed the second name. "Kyouya! Which means, by a margin of," she took the first cover off Mori's name, "thirteen seconds, Mori-senpai wins! Well done, you two!"

The two raven haired teens shook hands and the hosts spent most of the rest of the night entertaining each other with tales of their individual adventures. At some point, Haruhi texted Mori his prize and eventually, they all fell asleep in her living room.


	39. A Host Club Holiday

A/N: Please don't hate me too much for this one. I wrote some of it from firsthand experience. As always, I love and appreciate you all.

* * *

A Host Club Holiday

"Happy Christmas, Haru-chan!" Honey shouted as he entered the small Fujioka home. His stomach growled as the delicious aromas of her cooking entered his nose. "It smells amazing in here!" He and Mori instructed their driver to deposit their host club gifts in the corner next to her mother's shrine.

"Thanks, Mitsu! Is Mori-senpai with you?" She called from the kitchen.

"I'm here."

"Good, I need your height. Can you come in here for a minute?" She heard their chuckles mingle together and wiped at her brow. She had been cooking since about eight that morning and she was sweaty. "Can you get me the crystal punch bowl out of the cabinet over the refrigerator?" She asked without turning around from the three pots currently simmering or boiling on the stove. "Thanks, just put it on the dining room table, please."

" **Hey, Haruhi, we're here!** " She heard from the front door.

"Hika, Kao! Glad you came! Dinner's still gonna be a bit, hope that's okay!"

"Wow, how much food are you making?" Hikaru asked, entering the kitchen.

"There's enough here for a small army! We don't eat _that_ much, do we?" Kaoru joked.

"You guys can eat a lot. Besides, I'm expecting a few more people than just hosts. And no, I don't mean E-class. Our Christmas party is tomorrow. Woah, watch out!" She warned as she pivoted a steaming pot around them.

" **Can we help with anything?** "

"No, sorry, this kitchen is just too small for more than one person to work in. Why don't you just go in the living room and hang out with Mori-senpai and Mitsu?" They shrugged and followed her suggestion, keeping her in the conversation by shouting to her here and there.

"Good evening, everyone," Kyouya said after having his driver place his gifts in the corner with the rest. It was becoming a crowded spot, though none touched the shrine.

"Hi Kyo-chan!" Mori nodded in greeting.

" **What's up, Shadow King?** "

"Hey, Kyouya, how was your Christmas?" Haruhi called from the kitchen.

"It was fine. Quiet, though. It's the busiest time of year for hospitals so Father and Yuuichi weren't home. Mother and Aikito are currently out of the country. Fuyumi came over for dinner though."

"I know what you mean. Bars are always busy on Christmas. That's why Dad and I never celebrate on the 25th. Unfortunately, he's working tonight as well."

"Our families don't really celebrate Christmas at all, so Takashi and I were doubly excited about today!"

"Wow, no Christmas?" Hikaru started.

"How depressing," Kaoru concluded.

"Anybody know where Tamaki-senpai is?" Haruhi called out. "I expected him to show up around noon."

"He had a meeting with his Father. He's on his way," Kyouya answered.

"Where's Karma-chan? He's a host too, he should be here with us!"

"He'll be here in a little while," Haruhi replied. "He probably won't get here until it's time for gifts, though, so he'll be multi-tasking when he arrives." The group in the living room continued talking amongst themselves, occasionally offering help to Haruhi, not that she ever took them up on it.

"Haruhiiiiiii! Daddy's here! I'm so sorry I'm late!"

"You're not my dad and it's fine, senpai!"

" **Wow, she doesn't even have to be in the same room to make him run to his corner,** " the twins laughed.

"Don't you DARE grow those mushrooms today! Do you have ANY idea how long it took me to clean from that last batch?!"

"Eeep! Mommy, Haruhi HATES me!"

"No, she's trying to keep her house nice for us. Now you can act like a gentleman or I can have Tachibana send you home."

"Don't hide behind me, Tama-chan, I won't protect you. Haru-chan's been working hard."

"After all the food I've made, no one's going anywhere!" Haruhi yelled.

"I knew my darling daughter cared about her daddy!"

"Can it, senpai! I just don't want my food to go to waste! Don't make me get Mori-senpai to hold you down until dinner's ready! You know he will!"

"I will," Mori glared at the younger blond who immediately sat down.

"I'll be good!" The twins, who had been snickering through the whole exchange, now burst into full laughter. This was a _way_ better Christmas than the one they'd had the previous day.

About forty-five minutes later, the tired brunette stumbled out of the kitchen, gulping down a large glass of ice water. "Okay," she panted, savoring the cooler air of the living room. "Everything's on the dining room table. Go nuts." She laughed to herself as the six boy stampeded for the food.

"Oh my god, Haruhi, this looks amazing!" Hikaru exclaimed, his eyes as large as saucers. The table was loaded with all the traditional western-style food for the holiday and a few extra dishes too.

"You made all this yourself?!" Kaoru mirrored his brother.

"Well duh, who else would have done it?" Haruhi smirked.

"You really shouldn't have, Haru-chan, but I'm super glad you did!" Honey, who always had to be convinced to eat real food at dinner, had no such hesitation in light of the massive feast before him.

"Is that…confit de canard?" Tamaki whispered, his eyes distant.

"Oui, took me forever to find a recipe for it, though. And don't even get me started on that preserve. I hope it tastes alright. I had to fudge some of the ingredients and-" She was cut off as wrapped his arms around her. But instead of one of his standard bone-crushing hugs, this one was gentle.

"Thank you. Truly, you have no idea how much this means to me. When I came to Japan, grandmother prohibited my from having _any_ ties to France, including food."

She patted his back. "I had no idea. You're welcome. And don't worry. I think, after the festival, your grandmother has learned that she can't control you as much as Kyouya's father has learned the same lesson." He doubted that, but let the compliment pass unchallenged.

"Well, what are we waiting for, gentlemen?" Tamaki addressed the room and stepped away from Haruhi. "Let's dig in!" He grabbed his plate, urging everyone else to follow suit. If he thought about it any longer, he might start genuinely crying. This time of year was always hard on him. He'd celebrated Christmas every year with his mother until he was forced to come to Japan. Since then, not once. He'd seen no point. He glanced over at the shrine of Kotoko, almost overtaken by the amount of gifts around it, and gave her a silent prayer of thanks for Haruhi being in his life.

"'A-r-i, iz deshush!"

"Hikaru, slow down before you choke!" The brunette admonished. "And _please_ don't talk with your mouth full. We can see enough of what you're eating on your plate."

"'O-rry." He swallowed hard and cleared his throat. "Sorry, Haruhi. But it's all so good! Honestly, you should give up this lawyer dream and pursue a culinary degree. Your skills in the kitchen are amazing!" A few of the others nodded in agreement.

"Well, thanks. I really appreciate that, Hika. But I've wanted to be a lawyer because of my mom. I've always wanted to follow in her footsteps and make her proud."

"That may be, and it's admirable, Haru-chan, but what about what _you_ want and what _you_ like? I think your mom would be proud of you no matter what you choose to do. I think she'd be very sad to know you wanted to be a lawyer _just_ because she was one. What if she was a writer or a politician? Would that mean you would want to be one too?"

"I guess I never thought about it like that. I don't know though, I spent my whole life working towards my lawyer goal."

"Whatever you decide, we will support you."

"Mori-senpai's right, Haruhi. Lawyer, chef, doctor, sumo wrestler, we've got your back!" Kaoru said. Everyone but Kyouya and Mori laughed, though their amusement was evident.

"You don't have to worry about that last one for sure," Haruhi replied, chuckling. "Tamaki-senpai, how's the canard?"

Tamaki, who had barely been paying attention, started. "Oh, it's just wonderful! Thank you so much!" His cheerful façade was strong, she noted. Everyone was fooled. Not even Kyouya or Mori noticed anything out of the ordinary with the younger blond. She wondered how long he had been hurting.

"Tamaki," she said quietly. She waited until he was looking at her. The room grew silent. His amethyst eyes, which had so often captured his customers with their exotic beauty, seemed clear enough at first glance but there was a deep sorrow hidden from the world. A sorrow that she felt in her own heart. "I know how you feel."

His eyes shimmered with unshed tears. Not those overexuberant host club tears that he cried every day, but those that spoke of the pain and loneliness of his existence. The pain he only allowed himself to feel when surrounded by the dark of his room late at night. The sorrow he tried to bury with the princely character he created for himself. Five little words and the whole shell cracked. His lip quivered.

"What was she like?" Haruhi asked, softly. He blinked away the tears that stung his eyes and smiled gently, thinking back to the woman who gave him life. It was such a beautiful sight that it left Haruhi feeling breathless. Even Tamaki had his moments that made her question her vow not to fall for her friends. This was one of them. For the rest of dinner, he regaled them with stories of his life in France. He remembered them for the first time, not with pain, but with peace.

"You made Vacherin too?!" The tall blond exclaimed as she served the disk-shaped palate cleaner when everyone had filled themselves to burst.

"Yep! Mango-basil vacherin. Tricky but I think I managed it alright. The hardest part was slicing the sorbet without it melting too much. This ought to get you guys ready for dessert."

"I don't think I can eat another bite, Haru-chan," Honey said, leaning back in his chair with his hand over his stomach. "I'm just too full."

"Even for cake?" She winked. He sat up straight.

"Well…maybe not cake." Everyone chuckled.

"What kind of cake?" Kyouya asked. They all knew he was not very fond of sweets.

"Kurisumasu keki. Don't worry, it's not that sweet. I actually made three of them. One for Mitsu, so I really do hope you aren't too full. One for me, Hika, Kao, and Tamaki-senpai. And one for you and Mori-senpai that is flavored more with cinnamon because neither of you like sweets much."

" **You're so thoughtful, Haruhi** ," the twins chorused.

"Aww, thanks guys. But anyone else would have done the same thing so it's really not that big a deal."

"That's where you're wrong," Tamaki said softly. "You really don't give yourself enough credit, Haruhi. Do you think any of our guests at the club know us well enough to make us individual sweets? Do you think Mori-senpai's family cares enough about Hikaru and Kaoru to make them their own special treat? And yet here you are, laying out this huge feast for all of us, making sure to include all our favorites, even dishes that would be foreign to you. Do you have any idea how special that makes you to us? No, you really don't. Because that kind of consideration for everyone around you is second nature to you. You don't even think about it. That makes it a big deal to us."

"Tamaki…"she whispered. She was…so touched. She smiled. "You know, that day I first stumbled into that music room I consider one of the luckiest days of my life, even if I didn't see it that way at first. Because of that one mistake, I ended up with six of the best group of friends I could have ever asked for and I'm grateful every day for all of you, even when you're driving me up the wall." She paused while the hosts chuckled lightly. "I love you guys," she finished, feeling choked up.

" **We love you too, little sister!** "

"Cheers, hime," Kyouya raised his glass of punch. Everyone else followed suit.

 **"Cheers, Haruhi** ," they all chorused.

"Thanks guys," she said, blushing. "Well, is everyone ready for cake? When we finish our dessert, we can start opening presents."

"Here, let me help," Kaoru replied, standing.

"No, me! I'll help," Hikaru said, shoving his brother back down.

"I'll help you, Haru-chan!" Honey raced around the table, knocking both twins back into their seats.

"Mitsukuni," Mori admonished.

"Whaaat? I just wanna help."

"Did she ask?" The smaller blond blinked before turning his honey brown eyes on her.

"Sorry. Haru-chan, do you need any help?"

"No thanks, Mitsu, I've got it," she giggled. "That goes for you two as well," she said glancing at the Hitachiins.

A half hour later, seven of the eight hosts surrounded Haruhi's dining room table in various states of food comas. It was quiet in the Fujioka home, peaceful. Conversation was sparse as none had the energy to speak for long. A chime went off on Haruhi's phone and she groaned as she got up to respond to the notification.

"Okay, guys, are you ready for presents?" She asked, still looking down at the device. She nodded to herself. "I think the best way to do this is to divide the presents by person first and then open them one at a time so that we all get to see what we got each other." There was a cacophony of labored groans as the others rose from their seats and dispersed themselves around the living room. Mori ended up closest to the present pile so he started wordlessly passing them around.

"I still say you should go into the culinary arts, Haruhi. Your food is amazing and as full as I am, I would probably still eat more if you had another dish," Hikaru said, rubbing his protruding stomach. Kaoru and a few others nodded in agreement.

"I couldn't eat another bite, even if it was sweet." They all stared at the pint-sized senior. "What? Even I have a limit. I've just never reached it before."

Who's first?" Haruhi asked, chuckling.

"Can I go first? Pretty please, Haru-chan?"

"Sure, Mitsu," she laughed. "From there, we'll go around the circle. So it'll be you, Kaoru, Hikaru, me, Kyouya, Tamaki-senpai, and Mori-senpai." They nodded, agreeing to her order. Two rounds in and her phone chimed again. _'Good timing._ ' "Tamaki, wait on opening your next present. Karma is coming with ours for you now. He said he was a couple minutes out."

"Okay…" he replied hesitantly, his purple eyes sliding over to the front door.

"You two went in together for a gift?" Kyouya asked, interested. Did she understand the implications of a male and female presenting a gift together?

"Yes and no. You'll understand in a minute. For now, let's just say it required a collaborative effort. Anyway, your turn, Kyouya." He carefully opened his gift from Honey and revealed a leather briefcase with his name engraved in gold.

"Thank you, Honey-senpai. This will be very useful."

The older man giggled. "No problem, Kyo-chan. I'm glad you like it!"

They all looked between Haruhi and Tamaki, each wondering what this mystery gift was. The brunette huffed. She'd had this all timed out perfectly in accordance with Karma's messages. "Sorry, guys, I thou- well, speak of the devil and the devil shall appear," she griped as she heard a knock on the door. "Delayed much?" She muttered, earning snickers from the twins. "You guys stay here, I'll get it. Tamaki-senpai, you may want to stand over by the kitchen. You'll want a good view." She winked, adding to the confusion circulating the room.

She opened the door just a sliver. "Late much?" She grumbled to the red head. Looking up, she saw Karasama and Irina standing next to a woman who could have been her senpai's twin sister. Golden hair fell in waves, ending just below her shoulders. Her eyes were the same crystal clear amethyst color as her son's and held the same capacity for pain and gentleness she had seen many times.

"Welcome to Japan," she said, smiling softly.

"My son, is he-?" The brunette nodded, watching the older woman's eyes water.

"Yes, and he's missed you as much as you've missed him all these years."

"Perhaps we can continue these introductions inside? It's freezing out here!" Karma complained, much to the amusement of the others. "Oh, and Kenzou said no charge. He was happy to do this one as a favor to you." She shook her head at the man's generosity.

"I don't understand how he expects to make a living if he keeps offering free rides. Well, come on in. There's plenty of food on the table. Karasama-sensei, Professor Bitch, please stay. I'm sure there will be questions that I won't be able to answer." They nodded and she stepped aside. The small group allowed Anne Sophie to enter the apartment first.

"Tamaki," she whispered.

"Maman?" He breathed.

"Maman?!" Kyouya repeated, whipping his head around to the direction his best friend was staring at. The others were quick to follow suit. There, standing in the doorway beside Haruhi, with tears streaming down her face and the most hopeful smile spreading across her face, was Tamaki's mother.

"Maman?" Tamaki repeated. She just nodded, her lip quivering. Tears spilled from Tamaki's eyes. "Is it really you, maman?" At her second nod, he ran forward and flung his arms around her, hugging her tight. Haruhi and Irina, who had both lost their mothers early in life, were crying silently at the sight. The other hosts and Karasama, who had never known that pain but had seen it on the faces of the ones they cared about, simply smiled. Karma, who had left his abusive parents, put his arms around Haruhi and leaned in close.

"Good job, Haruhi," he whispered. She laid her head on his shoulder and continued watching with tears falling onto his shirt.

"Maman, what are you doing here? Does Chairman know? Does grandmother? What about your health?"

"Tamaki, shh shh shh, it's okay," she soothed, rubbing his hair. "No, your father nor your grandmother know I'm here. I have no dealings with them any longer. Now, might we all venture into the dining room so that the gentleman and lady behind me might step into the apartment?"

"Of course, mother. I'm sorry, I just-" The woman smiled.

"I know how you feel." Tamaki cried. There they were again, those five little words, the same ones Haruhi had said earlier that very evening.

Once the newcomers were seated at the table and filling their plates, with Tamaki sitting close to his mother and the rest of the hosts standing along the walls, a beaming Haruhi made the introductions.

"For those of you who have not figured this out yet, this is Anne Sophie de Grantaine, Tamaki's mother. Madam Grantaine,-"

"Oh, please call me Anne," she interrupted. Haruhi nodded.

"Anne, everyone, you know Miss Irina." The well-endowed blonde nodded, still smiling softly. "To her right is Agent Karasama of the Ministry of Defense. He was the one who taught Karma and I how to fight." The black-haired man nodded in recognition. "Karma, you all know." He waved. She continued listing the names of the hosts, each one showing some sign of silent greeting, each one stunned, confused, and in awe.

"I'm so pleased to meet all of Tamaki's friends. Son, I'm so proud of you. Look at the group you have supporting you."

"Maman, you don't know the half of it." Tamaki beamed, tears forming again.

"On the contrary, ma'am," Kyouya said. "It has been Tamaki who has supported us. He single-handedly turned a group of self-indulgent rich snobs into the band of brothers you see before you." The other hosts nodded in agreement.

"Then how do you fit into all this, Haruhi? Are you my son's girlfriend?" Such an innocent question to spark so many vibrant reactions. Tamaki's face turned bright red. Hikaru, Kaoru, and Karma burst out laughing. A deep rumbling chuckle could be heard from the throat of Mori. Honey was giggling like mad. Kyouya smirked.

"He wishes," Hikaru whispered to Kaoru, sending the two into another uncontrollable wave of laughter.

"No ma'am," she replied nonchalant, sending a glare at the twins. They paled, not realizing she'd heard them.

"Why not? Has my foolish son not asked you out? Tamaki, what are you doing, such a charming woman in front of you, one who is an incredible chef by the way, and you decide to ignore her in favor of air-headed heiresses? You know she's the whole reason I'm here, don't you? Yet you'd pass her up?" The twins and Karma were turning red with the effort of not laughing further, trying to hear the conversation continue.

"I…uh…I just…well…"

"Are you gay? It's completely fine if you are. You're still my son and I still love you regardless." She was genuine in her reassurances.

"MAMAN!" That did it. That was the straw that broke the camel's back for Karma and the twins. All three of them went to the floor in stitches. Haruhi giggled behind her hand at Tamaki's expense, considering this payback for all the bone-crushing hugs and early morning visits. Kyouya's smirk grew wide. "No! I very much enjoy the company of females!"

"So how _did_ you get here Anne-chan?" Honey asked, giggling at the younger blond's continued sputtering and beet red face.

"I believe I can answer that, Honinozuka-san," Karasama responded before Anne Sophie could. "Haruhi came to me with a tip from a reliable source the day before Christmas and a request. I looked into it and her tip was good, as was her hunch. It seems Grantaine-san has been working as a housekeeper in the Tonnarre household for the last four years. I did a little digging and discovered it was Shizue Suoh who initially made the employment contract. That contract has since been bought out by someone who shall remain anonymous and Irina and myself left yesterday to bring her to Japan.

"She has a house set up and ready for her to move into as well as a maid for companionship and to assist with the housework. She has already informed me that she did not want a cook. If that changes at any time, I will, of course, hire one. Suoh, do not worry about your grandmother, she can do nothing to me or to your mother. Grantaine-san, you do not need to hide away anymore." Irina beamed at her fiancé.

"Thank you, Karasama-sensei. I really appreciate you and Irina doing all this in such a small timeframe." He held up his hand, deflecting her praise.

"Who was your tip, Haruhi?" Hikaru asked.

"Yes, who was it?" Kyouya repeated. "Not even _I_ could find his mother, and believe me, I've been trying to for years."

"You have?" Tamaki asked, surprised.

"Of course. I'd do anything to get you to leave me alone for five minutes at a time." An arrow shot through the taller blond. Anne Sophie giggled. The shorter, black-haired teen had been introduced to her as her son's best friend and they certainly acted like it. He turned back to the brunette. "So, Haruhi, who tipped you off?"

She wasn't sure if she should give away the name of her informant. If word got back to Tamaki's grandmother, she might retaliate on the Ootoris and that would jeopardize her assignment. "Actually, it was Tamaki-senpai."

"What? When did _I_ tip you off? How? I didn't know where my mother was until we were told just now."

"Don't you remember? It was after the last club meeting when you offered me a ride home because it was going to rain."

"I remember that. We didn't talk about anything because you had a headache though." Their surrounding audience looked like they were watching a ping pong match with the way their heads swiveled between the two.

"No, _I_ didn't want to talk because I had a headache. _You_ kept talking my ear off." The hosts all nodded. That definitely sounded like Tamaki. "Anyway, while most of it got tuned out, I was alert for a small part of it. You told me how Eclaire promised you the chance to see your mother if you went back to France as her fiancé. I don't know how you got on that topic because I wasn't paying much attention to your chatter, but I digress. Don't you remember that at all? It's not really surprising if you don't, you were talking about so many things so fast." A light of recognition seemed to go off in the blond's head.

"Oh yeah… no, I remember. Of course I do! I never forget any conversations we have!" She smirked internally.

"Anyway, it got me thinking. How on earth would Eclaire Tonnarre know that Tamaki's one greatest desire was to see his mother again and how could she promise that he'd be able to? Surely she wouldn't go so far in her deceit as to make that up. The only way that Eclaire would be able to promise that was if she knew who and where his mother was. But how would that be? I had a hunch she was working in the household, but if that was wrong, she would at least be close by. Lo and behold, she was. Two days ago was the first opportunity I had to talk to Karasama about following up on it."

"Wow, Haru-chan, that's amazing!" Honey exclaimed, his eyes sparkling.

" **Shadow Princess strikes again** ," the twins said.

"Shadow Princess?" Anne Sophie questioned.

"It's just a nickname we've given her," Kaoru started.

"Because she's picked up some sneaky traits of Kyouya-senpai," Hikaru continued.

" **And we call** _ **him**_ **the Shadow King** ," they chorused.

At her continued confusion, Haruhi intervened. "Let's just say when things need to be done in the group, he's the one who gets them done."

They continued to taunt and tease each other until everyone had finished eating. Irina and Karasama left with good wishes for the reunited mother and son as well as an expectation for Haruhi and Karma to attend the next day's festivities. The hosts, now complete with Karma, returned to the living room to continue opening their gifts, though they all agreed none would top Tamaki's gift. Mori's gift to Haruhi did leave her in tears though, and she was the center of a group hug when the others found out what the necklace meant to her. The hosts helped her clean up and everyone left the Fujioka apartment exhausted, but in high spirits and with the hope that maybe the healing of their King's heart might finally begin.

"Haruhi," Tamaki whispered into her ear as he hugged her goodbye, "I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me. You gave me my mother back. I only wish I could do the same." They both looked over at the laughing woman on the shrine. Haruhi smile wistfully.

"It's okay. I'm glad I could. You deserve to be with your mother as long as you can be. Now go, she's waiting for you." He was the last one to leave, wanting to tell her that in private. When she closed the door, she sat down in front of Kotoko's shrine and cried.

That's how Ranka found her when he walked in hours later, curled up in a tiny ball, asleep, tear marks still visible on her face. He turned around and walked right back out, every intention of going back to the bar and drinking himself into a stupor. Anything to get that sad sight out of his mind's eye. How he hated the holidays. He missed Kotoko more than ever around this time of year, but so did Haruhi. And he couldn't help her when he felt so miserable himself.


	40. Final Prep

A/N: It's getting down to the wire now. I just want to thank everyone who has stuck around, beared with the sometimes long breaks between chapters, and continued to show their unwavering support by reading and/or reviewing and by favoriting and/or following this story. I love you all. Really, thank you so much. You have no idea how much you mean to me.

* * *

Final Prep

The party on the mountain was, thankfully, much less emotional. There was much merriment to be had on the twenty-seventh of December for the former assassins. Though tears were shed as E-class lit incense and laid offerings for their deceased teachers. And Karasama sought her out once more with news concerning Tamaki's mother that made her want to not stop at just Yoshio.

"I wanted to inform you that the reason she was sick when she moved to Japan the first time and continued to stay sick after she left was because Shizue had been slowly poisoning her. Nothing lethal, just something that made it look like Japan did not agree with her. She also hired a housekeeper to continue administering the dosage in France. That same housekeeper moved with her to the Tonnarre family. I bring this up to reassure you that her medical care was being overseen by me personally so we should see a marked improvement in her health soon."

"All of that just to break up Anne Sophie and the Chairman in favor of a woman who was only interested in his pocketbook?" Haruhi fumed.

"Cool your head, Plain Sight. She won't be getting away with that again. The housekeeper I mentioned is Irina. Anne Sophie is well protected. And when Irina wishes to come home, we send in a doppleganger. Since you bought the house and Karma bought the land anonymously, even if Shizue does find out that Anne Sophie is here, she can't stronghold the woman into leaving because she won't be able to find the owners to buy the house and land. I promise you, Anne Sophie is perfectly safe."

"I don't care! That woman _poisoned_ the mother of her grandson! Imma kill 'er. She kept separated a boy from his mother! Made him _choose_ between life with his mother and his mother's life because she was _poisoning her_! How can I let that slide?!" He narrowed his eyes at her and the brunette gulped.

"You will because I tell you to. Stand down, Haruhi." His eyes softened. "I know how you feel, trust me, I do. The important thing is that they are together now and she will be under proper care." She visibly deflated and nodded, somberly.

"I think I'm going to go for a climb to clear my head. If anyone asks, don't tell them."

"I won't." As he watched her disappear into the bare trees, Karasama grew worried about his favorite student. Her head was not where it needed to be for someone taking down a corporate tycoon. He was afraid she was becoming too attached to the assignment, much like they all were with Koro-sensei. Karasama resolved to keep a closer eye on his protégé.

The next night, she went to her mother's grave to take the photo evidence she'd planned to send to the hosts as her alibi. She lit the incense and carefully cleaned the headstone with the warm, soapy water. She laid her lilies and sent a prayer for protection. She needed every bit of help she could get. She also prayed for guidance. What her friends had said at the host club party had been weighing heavily on her mind. She wasn't so sure about being a lawyer anymore.

Was she really only doing it to please her mother? Honey-senpai was right, Kotoko would have supported her no matter what she chose to do in life. Did she want to be a chef? She certainly had fun cooking. Nothing relaxed her more when she was stressed. She felt proud when her recipes turned out well and when her recipients enjoyed her food.

"Mom, help me. I don't know what's going to happen in the next few days. I don't even know if I want to keep taking assignments and become a part time assassin or if I want to put my blade away for good anymore. I guess it all depends on what Karma and 'Gisa want to do. I know the permanent offer was made to them too and I wouldn't want to do this with anyone else. I can't trust anyone else to have my back. Gods above, don't let this mission go wrong. I'm so scared of it going wrong. I don't trust our adversary. I don't trust his allies either. I can trust my skills and my partners but will that be enough?

"Tell me what to do, please. I'm so lost. Do I become a chef and assassin? Do I stay on my law path? Do I try to date Karma or is that going to cause too many problems? I need your help. I miss you so much, mom. It hurts. All the time. And I know it hurts dad too. You were taken from us too soon."She stopped and wrapped her arms around herself, unable to continue further. Unwilling to reawaken those early memories. _'I love you, mom.'_

She left and returned home, crawling into bed but unable to fall asleep. Haruhi tossed and turned for the rest of the night, one bad dream blending into the next. The morning of the twenty-ninth, she woke up groggy and disoriented. She still had to go up to the mountain and try on her disguise, something she didn't get to do a few days ago.

"Thanks for the lift, Kenzou. You're the best!" She said to the driver a few hours later.

"No problem, Haruhi. I'll just wait for you. You're only trying on a dress right? So there's not much point in me going if I'm gonna turn around and come back when you're done."

"You know, I could just call another cab, it's not that big a deal." He placed his hand over his heart in mock offense.

"You'd cheat on me with another driver?! I can't believe you!" Haruhi laughed.

"Suit yourself." She giggled on her way up the mountainside. Kenzou was quickly becoming a good friend. A different kind of friend than her 3-E classmates or her host friends. Someone she could be relaxed around, not have to put up a façade. If she wanted silence, he'd give her space. If she felt like talking, he'd joke with her and they'd swap stories. He was good at reading which mood she happened to be in too.

"Ritsu, what the hell is this?" Haruhi deadpanned as she held up her outfit for the escapade.

"Uh…Yoshio's perfect prostitute? I worked hard on that, so watch it." The two girls glared at each other.

"I am _not_ wearing this."

"You will if you want to survive."

"Like hell!"

"Maybe you should listen to how I designed it before turning your nose up at it."

"At what?! There's barely any fabric here!"

"There's more fabric there than your standard bikini!"

"Not by much!"

"Haruhi, don't make me call Professor Bitch!"

"What could she do? She's out of the country on business. I'm not wearing tha- _don't you point those guns at me!_ Those fucking BB's _hurt!"_

"Exactly. Now unless you don't want that pretty skin marred by bruises when you face Yoshio, I suggest you get to changing so I know it fits!" Haruhi growled at the pink-haired girl.

"Fine but I'm not doing it where I can be seen." She grumbled all the way to the girls' bathroom before switching out her warm, comfy clothes for the skimpy ensemble Ritsu had created. She stormed back into the classroom, heels clicking against the hardwood, her face bright red. "I can't believe you," she grumbled.

Ritsu's face turned red. "Wow, Haruhi, you look _hot_."

"Shut up, how do you even know what that is?"

"I'm a bit more than just a killing machine, you know that. I can access the entirety of the internet. I know what hot is. And you're it."

"This isn't _me_!"

"You're not _supposed_ to be you! You're supposed to be Ootori Yoshio's final prostitute!"

The brunette sighed. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Sorry, Ritsu."

Her companion sighed as well. "It's okay. I understand. I wouldn't want to wear something like that either. But if it helps, there's a lot more than meets the eye. Kick out your left boot."

"And have this skirt ride up to show _everything?_ I think _not_." The brunette crossed her arms, vastly irritated.

"If it comes to this, that kind of exposure will be the least of your problems. Now kick. Out." Haruhi huffed but complied. A thin, serrated blade shot out from the heel but stayed attached. Her eyebrows raised appreciatively. A kick to the stomach or chest and that blade would ensure a kill. "Good, now flick the toe of the boot up sharply." She did so and the knife retracted. "See? No murder weapon!"

"Not bad," Haruhi acquiesced. She might actually keep the shoes then.

"Now, your top is bullet-proof, your skirt is flexible so it won't rip no matter what you do. If you flex your gloves into a fist, which I recommend _not_ doing right now, a small barrage of needles will shoot out from your knuckles. They won't kill anyone but they'll definitely provide a painful distraction for any pursuers. There are two knives hidden beneath the collar of your halter, one more in each lapel. The first button has a camera installed, the second holds a mic. There is a speaker in the earrings on the table for communication. The skirt has pockets so you can carry the cleaning supplies Manami gave you for Christmas."

"Okay, fine. You pimped it out. I still don't feel comfortable though."

"Well if you did, I'd be concerned."

"Heh heh. Yeah, so, I'm going to go get changed now and go home, away from this nightmare."

"But you're taking it with you. It makes more sense than coming back again later. I'll make you a bag to put it in if it helps."

"Yeah, sure, fine, whatever. But I'm burning it when all this is over."

"I totally agree with you. You can't get caught if you have nothing linking you to the crime. Don't worry, I can always make another set in case you ever want to get it on with Kyouya." Ritsu winked suggestively. "You _know_ he'd _looove_ an outfit like that."

"Ritsu, I swear I will-"

"What? Destroy my screen? Itona installed self-restorative properties during the Christmas party a couple days ago. Even if you did, I'm still in your phone and on your computer. Face it, you can't get rid of me," she taunted, sticking her tongue out."

"Ugh!" Haruhi stomped off, leaving Ritsu cackling in victory.

"Hey, kiddo, how was your trip out?" Ranka asked when she walked in the door. She took one look at him and could tell that he was hammered but trying to hide it.

"It was…fine," she grumbled the last word, tugging the strap of the bag more securely around her shoulder. She saw his eyes flicker over it and she tightened her hold. She didn't know what he would do if he saw the ensemble in there.

"You go shopping?"

"You could say that."

"Can I see?"

"Maybe later, I'm kinda tired." _'Or never.'_

"Come on, Haruhiiiii, just one little peek for your beloved dad?"

"Not today, okay? I need to rest. And don't you have work soon?"

"Nope." He beamed as she internally groaned. "I have today and tomorrow off so that _we_ can finally spend some time together! So you see? We have plenty of time for you to show off what you've bought!"

"But I'm still tired and I don't feel like putting it on," she whined. In a flash, he had the bag in his hand. "Dad, No!" She made to grab the bag back but he just pivoted to the other side of the room and dug his free hand in, pulling out the skirt and the halter in one go. A shadow crossed his inebriated face.

"What's this?" He asked, stiffly.

"It's nothing. Just a prank. Can you give it back now?" Haruhi asked, nervously. She was unsure of what his reaction was about to be. It could be anywhere from smothering her with affections that left bruises to leaving bruises by hitting her and destroying the apartment.

"What kind of prank?"

"Kyouya pissed me off, so I figured I'd tease him. Think it'll do the trick, dad?" She giggled evilly, praying he took the bait. His face darkened further and her nerves heightened.

"A prank like that could backfire easily, Haruhi. Do you understand?"

"Better than most," she replied with more spite than she meant to. She covered her mouth quickly when she realized her mistake. "I mean-"

"What? What do you mean?" He glowered. Gods she hated when he got drunk. He became a completely different person! And worse still, he would never remember any of it the next day. "What do you know about it, Haruhi? Have you been whoring yourself out to that club?"

"What?! Of course not! But with the way mom was killed, how could I _not_ understand?!"

"Your mother died of illness! She was not _killed_ and I will NOT have you making up such ridiculous stories again!" She snapped.

"WHAT ILLNESS THEN?! Can you answer me that?! What illness did she die of? Because I'd like to know what you want me to tell people!"

"Pneumonia! She died of pneumonia, as you well know!" Ranka seethed. Haruhi wasn't backing down.

"Is that so? Because last time I asked, you said it was _cancer_!" He stormed up to her and raised his hand. She caught it just as it came down and redirected it to miss.

"Why you lit-" He swung again and she blocked it but there was so much force behind the hit that it knocked her off balance and she fell. She jumped to her feet and flipped over him, grabbing the clothes and bag from him in the same motion, before running back to her room. She slammed the sliding door shut, knowing he was right behind her. She grabbed her laptop, backpack, and whatever clothes she could reach and shoved them into the bag. She had her window open just as he forced the door open. He stood there stupidly for a moment but it was long enough for her to slip out and climb onto the rooftop.

"Ritsu, call Karma," she panted, hoping from one roof to the next, anything to get away from the drunken sod that was her father. "Actually just message him. I'm coming over for the night."

"Your dad again?" Karma asked as he opened the door. She nodded, her lip quivering. He sighed, wishing she would just emancipate herself like he did. "Well, come on inside. Don't just stand out there freezing. How bad did it get this time?" She whimpered and shook her head but entered his apartment. "It's okay, we don't have to talk about it now. But we will talk. I was just about to start dinner if you want to go and put on a movie or something."

She nodded and headed into his living room, sitting stiffly on the couch. It had been so long since she'd been there but Karma's apartment was still just as cozy as she remembered. His corner desk overflowed with a mix of comic books and study materials. His aquarium glowed gently and she contented herself to watching his fish swim around in lazy circles, listening to the comforting sounds of his dinner preparations.

"There are some guppies in there if you want to take a closer look," the red head told her as he watched her visibly relax. That's the way it always was. Her father would get drunk and try to fight her, she'd escape and come to him. She'd go back the next day to clean whatever he destroyed or throw it away if it was beyond repair. He didn't mind the personal time he got with her, nor did he at all mind being the one she went to. He just wished she would understand how much he hated seeing her upset, especially because of Ranka.

"They're really cute. Do you need any help in there, Karma?"

"You know I don't. I'm not one of your little host club friends." He smirked.

"Actually, you are. And a pretty good one, too. I don't get it though, you give them the same lines Tamaki-senpai uses but your regulars get something totally different out of it than they do him."

"That's because when he says it, it sounds romantic. When I say it, it sounds like some sort of forbidden rendezvous. I make it sound dangerous, something they've never encountered in their pampered lives." He winked, causing a familiar shiver to run down her spine. "You wanna go take a bath? Dinner'll be ready by the time you're done and the hot water will help you feel better."

Haruhi smiled and nodded. Karma always knew just what to say. She thought about that while she soaked in the hot water. He was always the first one she went to. He helped clear her head and calm her down every time. She couldn't count the number of times he'd held her while she cried. He knew just about every secret her life had to offer. She trusted no one else with as much information. Then there was that kiss…it set her body on _fire._ Her legs rubbed together of their own accord. She wondered briefly if there might be a repeat but shook her head. She couldn't get distracted now when they were so close to the end of their mission.

Was this her answer though? He was the first person she contacted, the only one in fact, he was the one who cooled her temper and soothed her heartache. She found herself fantasizing about a kiss they'd shared, something she hadn't once done with Kyouya. The previous night she asked her mother for guidance and now she was finishing up a bath in Karma's apartment where he lived alone. It seemed like her mother was sending her a pretty big sign of encouragement. Maybe when this was all over, she might see if Karma wanted to give it a chance with her.

"Can you bring me my bag, please? I forgot it by the couch." Haruhi called through the bathroom door, still wrapped in a towel.

"Sure thing, Haru, just a sec!" He strolled down the hallway with her bag in one hand and the other over his eyes, just in case. She smiled again. It always made her heart flutter when he acted like a gentleman. The thing that set him apart from the other hosts was that he didn't always act like one. He didn't treat her like some delicate flower all the time. He treated her like an equal. It just made her more sure.

"Smells great, Karma! It's nice to not have to do the cooking all the time," she joked as he brought them their meals. "Makes me want to come over more often."

"But if you did that, it wouldn't be as much of a treat," he laughed. "Speaking of, what happened this time?" He regretted asking when he saw her shoulders droop and the smile fall from her face. "Let me guess," he said softly, "it started normal," she nodded. "But Ramka was drunk," she nodded again. "Something flicked that switch in him and he started yelling at you." Her lip quivered as she nodded a third time. "Did he try to hit you again?" A tear rolled down her cheek and she clenched her fist to distract herself from the hurt. A gentle hand laid on top of hers, easing her fingers apart.

"What did he say this time, Haru?" Karma asked tenderly, tracing soothing circles onto the back of her hand with his thumb.

"He saw my mission outfit," she replied in a wavering voice. "I tried to play it off as a prank on Kyouya but he didn't buy it." She started sobbing, trying to get through the narrative. She couldn't hide anything from the red head and he deserved to know why she showed up on his doorstep again. "Asked me if-if I understood how it cou-could backfire. I told him after the way mom died, how could I no-not? Karma, he s-still refuses to see the truth! He-he s-started yel-ling at me about how she d-died because of an illness!"

Haruhi broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. It hurt so much when Ranka got like this. Karma sighed as he moved closer to her and wrapped his arms around her, stroking her hair but he would not degrade her by telling her it was alright. He knew the truth.

Haruhi had trusted him with it over a year ago as they stole a couple hours together, searching for an assassination spot in Kyoto. He recalled how terrified she had been to go down an ally that he'd wanted to explore. He asked her what had happened to make her so scared, and he would never forget the look she gave him, nor how horrified he felt for her. Before their rendezvous with Nagisa, Okuda, and the rest, he sent her to a café and told her to wait for them there. As awful as the situation was that followed, he was grateful she was not involved. Kanzaki may have benefitted from that experience, but he was sure his Haru wouldn't have.

It infuriated Karma that Ranka would do this to her, that he would put his daughter through so much pain by denying everything so wholeheartedly. He wanted to physically attack Ranka for even considering putting his hands on Haru, but he never would. Because for _some_ unknown reason, she still loved her father. So Karma was reduced to holding her as she cried over whatever Ranka had done or said. If he was being honest with himself, his love for Haruhi was the only thing that ever overcame his desire for retribution.

He looked down at the brunette only to discover she had fallen asleep. "Haru," he called, gently shaking her shoulders. Her eyes fluttered slightly and she let out a tiny moan. He chuckled. "Haru," he coaxed. "I know you want to sleep but before you do, you need to eat." She grumbled, much to his amusement, but sat up anyway. "So," he said with a teasing glint in his eyes. "What was it about your mission outfit that had your dad wigged out in the first place?"

Haruhi felt her cheeks grow warm and fought it back. "Nothing you'll ever see, that's for damned sure," she mumbled. Not if she had anything to say about it.

"What was that? I couldn't quite hear you over that cute blush on your face." Karma smirked as it grew brighter.

"I said 'fuck you', that's what." She covered her face with her hands and stared away from him at the fish tank.

"Oooh, someone's got some bite. What a naughty girl you are to use such words. What ever shall we do with you?"

"I could leave, you know," she grumbled, fighting the smile that threatened to overtake her. The boy really did know just the right thing to say to make her feel better, even when all she wanted to do was break. He refused to simply let her but was always there when she did.

"You could," Karma acquiesced. "But you won't."

"Oh yeah? What makes _you_ so sure?"

"Because I would miss you and we both know how you don't like disappointing people. So you'll stay and I'll make sure you won't _want_ to leave." He winked suggestively and the laughter she had been fighting back bubbled over.

"I _suppose_ you have a point there."

"There's my Haru. I knew she was in there somewhere. Now, come on. Let's eat and then I'll make you some hot chocolate. Cinnamon and extra whip cream, exactly the way you like it. Just the thing to perk you up from a bad day."

They ate in a companionable silence. The rest of the evening was spent with the two teens teasing each other, fleshing out the details of their operation, joking about the club, and watching cheesy romance movies that both loved to make fun of, neither of them bringing up Ranka again. By the end of the night, they were snuggled up on the couch and dozing off. Karma thought vaguely of moving her into the bedroom but couldn't bring himself to get up.

Just before she fell asleep completely, he heard her sigh and mumble, "I wish it could be like this all…the…ti…" her voice faded off as her breathing evened out. He just smiled and followed her into the peaceful serenity of sleep. He woke to the sound of birds twittering outside his living room window and looked down to see his arms bereft of the beautiful brunette he held last night. Karma sighed, rubbing his face. It was always like this. By now she would be at home cleaning up Ranka's mess and fixing him breakfast.

That was exactly what Haruhi was doing at that very moment. She'd walked into her apartment to see it utterly trashed. Broken glass littered the floor, some pillows had been torn apart and their stuffing was all over the place, most of the leftovers from Christmas were left open on the counter for gods only knew how long. Worst of all, her mother's picture frame was shattered. Tears pricked her eyes as she got to cleaning. One would think this was the work of intruders, but she knew better. This had Ranka's prints all over it.

Haruhi loved her father dearly. He was the only parent she had left and he doted on her. But when he got drunk, he got violent. She never told anyone, not even Karma, but it was _he_ who cut her hair in a drunken rage because she looked too much like her mother. The next day, as always, he had no recollection of doing so and she made up the gum-in-hair story. She'd made up a lot of stories because of him. Once the living room was tidied, she stepped carefully into her room, which was also a victim of her father's drunkenness, and pulled out a matching frame from her closet after tucking her mission outfit into the darkest corner she could find. She replaced the frame and started in on the kitchen. The food had to be thrown out and the containers washed before she could even start on breakfast. By the time she was finally finished, it was already nearing noon and she could hear Ranka stirring in his bedroom.

"Look at my precious Haruhi, always so diligent in her chores and leaving me with nothing to do!" He squealed, spinning her in a wide circle.

"Hey, dad."

"What's for breakfast, baby girl?"

"Oh, it's almost lunchtime so I thought I would just make some miso soup and fried tofu. Something simple, you know."

"Sorry, baby. Daddy must have had a long shift at the bar last night. I hate leaving you so alone!" He wailed. _'Surprise, surprise, you don't remember anything,'_ Haruhi thought sarcastically.

"It's okay, dad. I promise. I'm fine. Listen, I called the bar and asked them to give you the night off tonight. You and I can spend some time together." ' _There's no way you remember that you had the night off already anyway.'_

Ranka gasped. "I get to spend all day with my beautiful little Haruhi?!"

"Well yeah, I haven't really seen you since before Christmas and-" Her words were cut off by another death hug.

"My precious baby wants to spend the day with me! Daddy's so excited! I'm going to take you out to lunch and then we'll go shopping and daddy will pick out some pretty outfits for his adorable daughter! We're gonna have so much fun! But first, we have to get dressed. We can't go out looking like _this_." He dropped her and ran off into his room.

She sighed and turned off the stove. _'Guess I won't be needing that anymore.'_ She headed into her disaster area of a room and pulled on a pair of black, high-waisted jeans and a fitted, black, deep v-neck shirt with criss-cross laces to hold the shirt together. Knowing her father wouldn't let her leave the house without _any_ makeup, she threw on some red lipstick and mascara. She grabbed her black ballet flats and leather jacket and headed to the front door.

"Oh my gosh, Haruhi, I love this whole danger thing you have going!" Her dad gushed when he saw her twenty minutes later. "My little baby's all grown up! Wait just one second, I have the perfect accessory." He skipped back to his room and retrieved a red belt. "There. Now you're outfit is complete. I must say, it does flatter you better than the dresses I normally get you. I guess you really are growing up."

As Haruhi and Ranka walked around the mall together, him pulling her into every department store imaginable, she had to admit she was having some fun. The only reason she had agreed to the excursion, besides Ranka not really giving her a choice, was because she wanted at least one good day with him before her mission, in case something went wrong and she didn't make it out. But she quickly noticed that instead of forcing her to try on dress after dress after dress, Ranka was actively trying to get things she would actually want to wear. Because of that, she was having more fun than she ever had and she was eternally grateful to have her father back.

When they returned home, their arms loaded with bags, Ranka started dinner and Haruhi sped through cleaning her room in much better spirits. She put away all her new clothes, savoring the day she'd had with her father and wishing it could be like that all the time. She ate dinner with him and went to bed.

Three quiet days passed before the third, the calm before the storm as Haruhi thought of it, and she felt she had everything ready for the attack. Both outfits and the wig and contacts for the party were stored in her room. Nagisa was on the payroll of the catering company and had been working for them for two weeks as a black-haired, brown-eyed teen. Karma had his old gym uniform washed and ready to go and a brown wig to hide his own distinctive hair. He'd decided to be on standby in case something happened to her and she needed help getting out. Karasma had already given him the poison and wine. Ritsu had her email typed out and ready to send. They had gone over every possible scenario thrice again and accounted for it. All that was left was the waiting. Haruhi lay awake each night trying desperately to think of anything else that could help them, any singular thing that might turn the tide in their favor. She couldn't lose. The stakes for her and her friends were too high. Little did she know, her friends were doing and thinking the same thing.

Ritsu couldn't remember the number of times one of the other three had asked her to check, double check, and triple check the blueprints of the mansion or some other detail for accuracy. Those times when the others finally got to sleep, she stayed awake, scanning the Ootori computers and phones for any slightest indication that their plans needed to be altered. She never found any but that didn't stop her from obsessing over it.

Nagisa spent every day not at work learning to do his job better. The better he was at his job, the more likely he could leave early if he requested to. At least that was his rationale. If he could leave early, he could be there to meet Haruhi and Karma at the rendezvous point. So he worked hard to be the best employee his managers had.

Karma spent every day training on the mountainside under Karasama. He practiced scaling the walls of the school, disarming traps and security systems, carrying sacks of potatoes in and out of various spots of the building so that he could get used to holding Haruhi's weight while escaping whatever challenge they faced.

Anxiety was running high between the four of them and it kept them all from being able to relax. Haruhi kept jumping at every little sound. Nagisa kept having nightmares about everything that could go wrong. Karma spent his nights on the mountainside, sleeping only when Karasama slipped an antihistamine into his water. They'd had quite an argument after that incident but eventually, Karma caved and agreed to try and sleep more.


	41. The Calm Before

The Calm Before

The morning of January 3rd, Haruhi woke up, having barely slept. She was jittery. She had to get moving. But it wasn't even seven in the morning yet. Where could she go? She pulled on a t-shirt, some work-out pants, and her sneakers, grabbed her mission outfits, and left for an early morning run after leaving a note for her father that she was going out for the day. A little while later, too little in her opinion, she was knocking on Karma's apartment door. She was surprised when it opened almost immediately and revealed a wide-eyed red head, despite the early hour.

"You couldn't sleep either, I take it?" He asked. She shook her head. "Come on in. Nagisa got here about ten minutes before you did."

"Thanks, sorry. Morning, 'Gisa," she called as she crossed the threshold. The bluenette waved, looking slightly peaky. "You okay? You look like you're about to be sick. Shit, don't tell me you're actually sick!" Haruhi panicked.

"He's not, it's just nerves. He looks sick but have you checked a mirror lately? You're pale as the sheets on my bed. Go sit down, I'll make us all some coffee."

Haruhi nodded but no sooner had she sat down, she was up and pacing Karma's living room. She picked up one of his class books and got only a few pages into it before tossing it back on the pile. She tried reading one of his comics but suffered the same result. She went back to pacing circles into the carpet.

"-Ruhi."

"Haru."

" **Hey Fujioka!** "

"Huh? What?" She whipped her head around to see Karma standing by the couch with two cups of coffee in his hand and Nagisa sitting on the couch with his coffee in his hands. Both were looking at her concerned. "What?"

"Haruhi, are you sure you're okay? Like, to do this?" Nagisa asked, worry etched into every crease of his face.

"Yeah, we've been calling you for a good couple of minutes now." Karma added, his face mirroring his best friend's distress.

She walked over and grabbed the cup he offered her, taking a sip. "I guess I just got caught up in my own head. Thanks for pulling me back out, you guys."

Karma gave her a one-armed hug. "That's what we're here for. Anything in particular got you bugged?"

"I'd imagine it's the same thing that's been on your minds too," she replied, downcast. Her friends glanced aside. "I thought so."

"How about after we finish our coffee, we all go over to the Honinozuka dojo and train some? That'll help get your mind off the assignment for a little while," Karma suggested, guiding her to the couch. "It won't do for us to go into this high-strung and tense. We need to limber up."

"I can't," Nagisa frowned. "I have to get down to work soon to help get things over to the Ootori's. It'll be an all-day event for the catering, even though the new year's party doesn't start until eight tonight."

"Sounds about right," Haruhi said, rolling her eyes. "And people will show up around six-thirty or seven. I will never understand the way the rich tell time. Yeah, I guess I could use a way to burn off some energy. We just can't wear ourselves out too much or we won't have the energy we'll need tonight."

"I don't think we need to worry about that. Somehow I believe adrenaline and energy will be in sufficient supply tonight."

"You're probably right about that," the brunette replied. "Alright, I'll call Mitsu and hopefully he's up. If not, I feel sorry for his maids."

Thankfully, the elder Honinozuka son _was_ up and moving around. He immediately gave Karma and Haruhi the okay to come over and use the dojo as well as the surrounding grounds and the three separated for the day. Instead of being dropped off at the Honinozuka mansion, Karma had Kenzou drop them off a few blocks away. His reasoning was that if they could sneak in here undetected, they could sneak in anywhere. To Haruhi, it made sense as far as practice went. The Ootori security force was trained by Honey's and Mori's families, but the families were still far better trained than the force. Still, she didn't think putting the entire Honinozuka household on edge was a smart idea so she texted Mitsu and let him know what they were up to. The blond wished her luck and said he'd keep it quiet.

Knowing they'd never scale the outside face without getting caught, they both silently agreed that they'd come through the back. Haruhi raced on ahead, darting low or rolling away when she sighted a camera, Karma not far behind, mirroring her actions. When they reached the overgrown trees signifying the untamed part of the Honinozuka property, they disappeared into the underbrush. Once hidden beneath the shadows, they split up, Karma climbing over the fence by climbing up the trees, and Haruhi mirroring his actions further down.

She raced to a well-hidden spot and waited. She was to start her ascent into the trees the second he touched down on the other side. She listened for his signal. Two stomps. Pause. Three stomps. There it was. She climbed quickly, knowing that later on, this could be the difference between success and failure. Instead of returning to the ground, she decided to stay in the trees, bounding silently from one limb to another, each jump so soft that she never even startled the birds. The rustling of the branches she caused could be attributed to the slight wind that was blowing.

When the trees started to thin out, signifying the landscaped part of the Honinozuka grounds, she leapt lightly from her branch and continued on foot. Unfortunately, by this time, the sun was nearing peak point so there was little shade when she reached the treeline. She dropped low to the ground and rolled to the nearest hedge, sweating despite the below-freezing temperatures. Haruhi jumped the hedge and crept along the now bare rosebushes. If she stayed low enough, the twigs would camouflage her. Karma was right. This was just the kind of thing she needed. If she had stayed inside and just waited, she would have been a nervous wreck. This action was mellowing her out and focusing her attention on her skillset rather than allowing her to think about all the possible ways their mission could go wrong.

She checked her surroundings before belly crawling over to the stone wall that was the nearest landmark to the mansion. She darted towards the building and, using her momentum, jumped, grabbing a support beam and swinging herself onto the roof, avoiding the nightingale porch altogether. From there, she spider-crawled, so as not to shift one of the tiles, to the servants' entrance. She dropped low and slipped into the mansion. Haruhi spotted the laundry room and made a quick beeline for that where she luckily found it empty. _'Kiss my ass, Karma. You_ wish _you were this good.'_ She thought as she quickly changed into a spare maid's uniform. She tired a handkerchief around her head, covering her hair.

About an hour of flitting around the house, doing chores, baking and icing cakes, and gossiping with the other maids, she heard rumors that Karma had been found by Honey. Haruhi made her way to the receiving room with some tea and snacks for the two and discovered all four Honinozukas with the red head. They were all laughing at Karma's infiltration game. She sat the tray down, asked if they needed anything else, and was promptly dismissed. She bowed and left, laughing internally. Haruhi was best in her class for a reason and she felt very proud.

"So, where's Haru-chan?" Honey asked, giggling.

"Oh, is darling Haruhi here with you? I would so love to see her again," Chiaki gushed.

"You mean you guys haven't found her yet?" Karma asked, confused. The Honinozukas looked at each other, shaking their heads.

"No, we haven't seen her. Did she come in with you?" Honey asked.

"We started off together but split up once we got inside the property. So you're telling me that she's been here over an hour and none of you have seen her? Geez, she is impressive. Hold on, I'll text her and see if she hasn't given up and left." There was a brief pause. "Nope, she says she's still in the house." Honey giggled.

"Sneaky Haru-chan."

"What do you say, boys?" Masaru glanced around the room. "Shall we go figure out where she's been hiding?"

"Sure, father." Chika rose to fulfill the task his father had set before them.

"Relax, Chika-chan! It's not a test, it's just a game of hide-and-seek!" The sandy haired boy growled.

"You brother is right, Yasuchika. It was not meant to be taken as a chore. I was planning on discovering, myself, where she could have camouflaged so thoroughly."

"Begging your pardon, masters, but does this belong to the young master's friend?" The group of five looked up to see the same shy maid who'd brought their tea holding a freshly laundered pair of black pants and blue t-shirt. "Only, we found it in the corner of the wash room." Karma walked up and took the clothes from her. She bowed and kept her head bent.

"Yup, those are Haru's alright," he said after a moment of inspecting the sizes. "You know what this means? It means there's no telling what she looks like now."

"My, my, she is clever," Chiaki complimented, giggling.

"Thank you, you may go," Masaru dismissed. The maid bowed once more and shut the door behind her.

Haruhi had to run to the nearest bathroom to let out the laughter she had been holding back. Was it really so easy to fool her friends just by wearing different clothes?! She had practically flaunted herself in front of them and still even her best friend didn't recognize her! Karma was right, this was a great way to relax before the showdown! She made her way back to the kitchen to help prepare lunch for the Honinozukas and their guest. Then she helped serve it. All the while, listening to calls of "Haru", "Come on out, Haru-chan", and "We have your clothes, Haruhi-senpai, you can't hide forever". They were asking maids and manservants left and right if they'd seen a short girl with short brown hair and large brown eyes. None of them had since she was careful not to make eye contact with anyone and her hair was covered.

When dessert was served was when she overheard Mitsu catching on. "Haru-chan's been in the kitchen. This is _her_ cake. I thought as much with lunch but now I'm certain."

"How can you be certain, dear?" Chiaki asked, as the entire group rose together to investigate.

"Take a bite. This is Haru-chan's cake. Hers always tastes way better than Chef's. I don't know how, but it does." The rest of the Honinozukas looked at each other but trusted their son and brother and each raised a bite of the confection to their mouths.

"Oh, my!" Chiaki mumbled through her lips. She swallowed. "That _is_ good." The group of five hurried into the kitchen, only to see nothing out of the ordinary. Two maids were washing the lunch dishes, while the cook was working on the dinner preparations. The two maids, in view of their masters, were quick to turn and bow.

"Haru-chan, I know you're in here! Come on out." One of the maids started giggling. "Ah-ha! I knew it! I knew that was your cake!" Haruhi stood up and pulled off her handkerchief, laughing wholeheartedly.

" _You're_ the maid who brought us tea earlier?!" Yasuchika screeched.

"You're the one who collected my laundry!" Mitsu exclaimed, blushing.

"The one in the same," Haruhi replied giggling delightedly. "You know, I'm _really_ surprised _you_ didn't catch me, Karma," she said with a wink.

He looked confused for a moment before a flash of recognition crossed his golden eyes and he facepalmed. "You gave me your own clothes," he groaned. "Damn, you're good."

"Boys, there's a lesson to be learned from all this," Masaru said, humor more than apparent on his face. "Never discount anyone as being insignificant."

Another hour of teasing and ribbing each other passed before Haruhi and Karma bade farewell to the Honinozukas. They took the train and walked back to his apartment hand-in-hand. It was time to get ready for Operation Ootori.

"Thank you, Karma," Haruhi said, leaning her head on his shoulder as the early winter sunset settled in. "I needed that. I feel so much better than I did this morning." He kissed the side of her head.

"Me too. I'm glad we went. Now, have you settled everything with Papa Ranka? He knows you'll be staying with a couple friends after going to see your mom tonight?"

"Yes, but he doesn't know who. Let's go over the plan one more time." The teens continued talking while Haruhi dressed in the bathroom and Karma dressed in his room. He actually hadn't seen either of her outfits, so Karma was excited and was back in his living room in record time.

Haruhi came out another forty-five minutes and several long-streamed curses later. The dress she had on to blend into the party scene was a floor-length, sapphire, halter-style gown that had a matching, sequined belt tied loosely around her waist with a silver buckle. Her wig was a luscious red copper tone that hung smooth, silky, and straight to the middle of her back. Her contact lenses changed her eye color to that of a deep emerald green. Black, teardrop earrings hung from her lobes and her arms were encased in black gloves. It all suited her pale skin perfectly and Karma couldn't stop staring.

"Haru, you look…beautiful," he breathed. A light blush spread delicately across her cheeks.

"Thank you, but if you keep staring at me like that, I might start getting the impression that you _prefer_ this look." She winked. He walked up close to her, holding her gaze.

"Never," he whispered, holding her chin gently. Her blush deepened. "Shall we get you to that party, Arima Kazane?" He offered her his arm, which she took silently, not trusting her own voice.

"Hey Karma," Kenzou greeted, three blocks away. The red head wanted to take no chances on someone finding out where he lived. He greeted the cab driver and helped Haruhi into the backseat before sliding in after her. "Don't you have a pretty one with you. What happened to Haruhi? I thought you two were a thing. What's your name, Miss?"

"Arima," she replied testily. Karma looked at her confused and she turned to him. "Who the hell is _Haruhi?"_ The red head looked sheepish, having caught on to what she was doing.

"Begging your pardon, Miss. It was my mistake. My eyes seeing more than what's there." Kenzou sputtered nervously before he realized the young woman was laughing at him.

"Relax, Kenzou, it's me." The older man blinked rapidly into the rear view mirror at the giggling woman and snickering young man.

" _Haruhi?_ I never would have recognized you, girl! Don't know why you're incognito, don't want to know, but great job pulling it off!" She laughed, grateful once again for his discretion.

"Thanks! I'm glad you approve." He laughed at her. "Oh, here's fine. I wouldn't want anyone at a party like this knowing I had to arrive in a _cab._ " She grinned.

"Hey, watch it now. We cab folk are sensitive types." They all laughed again as the two teens got out and waved him off.

"He's such a nice guy," Haruhi smiled.

"No doubt," Karma replied before growing serious. "Okay, remember, you arrive, mill about the edges, _do not_ become the belle of the ball again. You're a shy girl this time, a foreigner."

"Karma, I know how to play my roll. You just make sure you stay out of sight until you're needed. I can't focus on my job if I have to worry about you too." The panic was starting to cloud her eyes, though her head remained clear.

"You won't have to, I promise. Nagisa and I are here for backup. He's got a vile of the SUX to slip Yoshio if you can't deliver it and I'll get you out of there. You're the only one in any danger. You're the only one you need to focus on, okay? Don't worry about us. We can handle the rest." He kissed her forehead lightly. "Now, go before it gets any later." They parted ways and all four teens heaved a heavy breath, steeling themselves for the night ahead.

Operation Ootori was a go.


	42. The Storm

A/N: This is a _**trigger warning**_. **Do not read** if you are sensitive to sexual assault or rape. I realize I should have put one on 'Haruhi's Day Out', and I am sorry that I didn't. If asked, I will write an alternative climactic chapter that avoids such violence that the story can be skipped to so that both types of readers can still enjoy it. If not, the story will stay as is. As always, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedules to keep reading and I look forward to your reviews.

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The Storm

She entered the foyer and immediately made for the furthest corner of the room to scan the layout of the party scene. It seemed to be set up the same way as the Christmas party two weeks prior. Currently the depleted number of guests were milling about the receiving lounge. The ladies in their bright, expensive gowns, could be seen either on the arm of their partners or gossiping with each other in a nearby corner. The gentlemen were all just talking to each other, most likely business conversations. No one seemed to be paying her any mind. This was a good start.

 _"I'm giving you twenty minutes to get up to his bedroom and get changed."_ Ritsu said from her earrings. _"By then, Karma should have set the wine and glasses on his desk."_

 _"I'm already done with that. Heading back out now to wait for the signal."_ Karma's voice interrupted. She couldn't really reply because doing so would bring loads of unwanted attention to herself, so she remained silent, watching the guests with a mildly interested eye.

"Good evening, miss." The voice caused her to jump even as her blood ran cold. She turned around with a hand to her chest. Of all the Ootoris she didn't want to run into, why did he have to be the _first_ she met?

"Good evening. Begging your pardon sir, you gave me a fright." She curtsied instead of bowing. He bowed, taking her gloved hand for a kiss. Haruhi remembered to keep her fingers loose so as to not activate the needles.

"My apologies. It was not my intention. I don't believe I recall you being announced. What is your name, pray tell?"

"I am Kazane Arima," she replied, nervously. If anyone was going to see through her façade, it was the man in front of her. She had to rely on the details, little nuances that marked her as a foreigner rather than a native. She reached out to shake his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, mister-?"

"Ootori Kyouya." He hesitantly took her hand. "You are not Japanese, yet you have a Japanese name. That is very interesting." She raised an eyebrow.

"Aye, sir. I am from Ireland and am named after my great grandmother who fled during the war."

"And what business have you in Japan?"

"What business is it of yours?" She snipped.

"It is my business as the heir to know the guests who attend my father's parties." His glasses flashed in a way that was meant to be intimidating.

"Well pardon me if I don't believe it your business to know mine. Is this how you start all your conversations? 'Hello, I'm the heir, tell me why you're here'? Where I'm from, that would be considered presumptuous." She crossed her arms and huffed, walking away from him while still staying out of Yoshio's sight. The sooner she ended this conversation, the better.

 _"Calm down, Haru. Breathe. Remember, everyone else is scared of him,"_ Karma's voice nudged. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then someone tapped her shoulder, causing her to turn around. There he was again.

"I believe I have insulted you, though it was unknowingly done. I was merely attempting to make small talk by acquainting myself with my father's guests."

"I see. You may want to go back and revisit that etiquette class because I fear you might have fallen asleep. For future reference, small talk does not consist of digging into your conversation partner's background or purpose with personal questions. Nor does it consist of lording your position like some kind of king. That sort of thing is considered rude to most." Three different snickers sounded in her ear and she had to struggle to keep her own face neutral.

"I see, so in knowing me all of two minutes, I am presumptuous, rude, ill-educated, and dare I say arrogant as well? That seems a rather bold position to take, don't you think?"

"Perhaps," Haruhi acquiesced. "Perhaps you simply need to work on your first impression skills."

 _"Haru, stop flirting with your boyfriend and focus,"_ Karma teased.

"Arima-san, I must say, you are not like most girls I know." Kyouya spoke as if experiencing a revelation.

"Well, I'll take that as a compliment. Now, if you'll excuse me," she curtsied and turned to walk away. But he was quicker and cut off her path.

 _"Haruhi, do you even know what shy is?!"_ Ristu said, heatedly, before Kyouya started to speak again. Nagisa and Karma snickered again.

"Would you allow me to escort you to dinner tonight?" Haruhi was shocked by the sincerity in his voice. She had purposefully gone out of her way to insult him so that he would leave her alone and here he was asking her to dine with him?! Kyouya never ceased to confuse her.

 _"Haruhi, that's a bad idea,"_ Nagisa cautioned.

 _"I'm with Nagisa on this one. What if your part of the mission goes bad and you need a rescue?"_ Karma reasoned.

Both boys were right, but she couldn't think of any excuse she could use to deny Kyouya's request. "That'll depend on if I'm even here in the next hour when the meal is served." She looked around, as if bored by the scene. "Believe it or not, I can think of more fun things to do with my Saturday evening."

"Such as?"

"Are you trying to interrogate me again, Ootori-san?"

"I am trying to understand why you would not consider one of the most exclusive social events of the year to be fun."

"Do you?" She eyed him incredulously.

"Perhaps, if I find myself with the right companion. I'll make you a deal. Since you so obviously desire my absence and have made no attempt at hiding that fact, I won't seek out your company again until dinner if you allow me to escort you from then through the remainder of the evening."

"Is that a promise?" She asked, teasingly.

"You have my word," he replied with a bow. "However, if you leave early, you owe me a date."

"I believe we have reached an agreement, sir. You have yourself an escort. Or a date. Honestly, it really could go either way at this point." Kyouya bowed again and kissed her hand.

"Until then, my dear," he smiled softly, before walking away.

 _'I know that bastard is not about to try and cheat on_ me _with_ me _,'_ Haruhi thought, amused.

 _"Haruhiiiii, mission time, remember?"_ Ritsu hissed.

 _"Yeah, we have an assignment to complete. Let's go,"_ Nagisa nudged.

Haruhi looked around before slipping into a hidden servants' stairwell. This was where all those hours of studying the blueprints of the mansion. From here, the only other person she could rely on was Ritsu to secure the cameras. The pink-haired girl's plan was to freeze the individual footages except for the clock just long enough for Haruhi to pass the hall before moving on to the next.

Three minutes later, she walked into the East wing of the Ootori mansion for the first time. She knew it to be the correct hallway because it was the only one with a keypad outside one of the doors.

 _"Okay, Haruhi, twenty seconds. Now."_ Ritsu told her. She sprinted down the length of the hall, stopping in front of the imposing black marble office door. Such a stark contrast from the walls around her, and she felt a foreboding shiver go up her spine.

"Guys, I don't know if I can do this," she muttered quietly, her hands starting to shake.

 _"Now is not the time to show doubt, Haruhi. Trust me."_ Nagisa encouraged. _"I felt the same way when I faced Takaoka. I was scared out of my mind too. Yeah, I wanted to kill 'im because he poisoned our friends, but he was a psycho and that made him unpredictable so I was terrified. Still, the stakes were too high for me to give up. This is where your composure means everything."_

 _"Thirteen seconds,"_ Ritsu warned.

 _"Keep the bloodlust up and the fear down,"_ Karma advised. _"Sorry, that's the best I can offer right now."_

 _"Ten seconds."_ Haruhi hurried to the next door and cursed to find it locked. Taking a hairpin from her wig, she inserted one of the ends into the handle and made quick work of twisting the tiny metal until the signature click of her success. _"Three seconds, Haruhi,"_ Ritsu urged. The brunette swiftly opened the door and slipped inside, closing and locking it behind her.

Yoshio's large bedroom was about as sterile as it could be. Everything was stark white. The carpet, the massive bed and bedsheets, the desk. The only thing of any color was the slick, black computer on top of the desk and the swivel chair behind it. There was no other furniture. The whole area gave Haruhi chills. It was eerie and the silence was heavy.

"I feel sorry for Junko-san having to sleep in here every night," she muttered. Her hands were trembling.

 _"She doesn't,"_ Ritsu replied darkly. _"This room is only for Yoshio's purposes. On record, it's for when he works too late and does not wish to disturb his wife."_

 _"So, she has no idea either?"_ Nagisa asked.

 _"That seems to be the case. From the encrypted emails on that computer there, the underage prostitution, money laundering, and torturing has been going on for decades. I'm guessing anyone who found out was never heard from again."_

 _"The man's sick and discreet. That much we already knew. So let's just kill him and get it over with,"_ Karma suggested.

"Would if I could, but we all know this isn't one of those 'guns blazing' missions," Haruhi said quietly as she started removing her party dress to reveal Ritsu's prostitute outfit. "Ritsu? Camera working fine?"

 _"Crystal clear footage, Plain Sight. As expected of an Itona original."_

 _"Do you think he really bought your excuse when you requested it?"_ Nagisa asked.

 _"Bit late for that now,"_ Karma responded. _"Besides, he's E-class. Even if he didn't, he's smart enough not to say anything."_

"Remind me again, _why_ this all has to be recorded? If this goes south, the last thing I want is for there to be a record of what happens." Haruhi tried desperately to keep a steady voice but there was a slight quiver that she just couldn't hide. Her friends heard it immediately and their worry for her grew. They knew how hard this could be for her.

 _"Because if you end up trapped and taken down to those dungeons we read about, we'll have a record of every face you come into contact with and the path you take. It'll make it a lot easier to rescue you knowing who and what we're up against."_ Ritsu answered. Haruhi sighed, knowing she was right.

She walked into the adjoining bathroom to hang up the sapphire gown on the inside of the shower, where it would be least likely seen. Looking into the cabinet under the sink, she was pleased to see a collection of cleaning supplies that she could use in case hers weren't sufficient. She double-checked the fixture of her wig in the mirror, careful not to pull any hairs loose. Convinced it was straight and her now shoulder-length brown hair was entire hidden beneath it, she took a deep breath and went back into the bedroom.

As promised, Karma had placed Yoshio's favorite wine and the two glasses on the corner of the desk. The wine had a gift bow around it that, when she lifted one of the tails, revealed a syringe filled with the clear medication that was to be the Ootori Patriarch's undoing. She popped the cork and filled both glasses of equal measure before squirting the syringe into the wine glass on the left. She took the now empty syringe and rinsed it in the sink before tucking it inside her boot. She would leave no trace.

 _"Haruhi, are you ready?"_ Ristu asked, a tiny warble in her own voice.

"Do I have a choice?" The brunette snapped. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she continued. "Sorry, Ritsu. I'm scared. It's not that I don't want to do this, I just don't want to be at his mercy."

 _"It's okay, we understand. We won't take offense,"_ Nagisa reassured.

 _"Haru,"_ Karma whispered, _"remember, you're not alone in this. We're right here."_ The thought of the red head being so close to her made the corners of her lips lift slightly even as her body continued to tremble.

"Summon the Beast."

A brief pause, then: _"The Beast is en route. ETA: T minus one minute, thirty-two seconds."_

Haruhi's lower lip quivered as her heartbeat picked up. Where should she be when he came in? Somehow she hadn't given that much thought. She walked towards the desk chair and reached out her hand to turn it so she could sit there, but let it drop. She turned around and walked to the corner of the bed, sitting there for a few seconds before hopping back up and returning to the center of the room, standing awkwardly, her nerves quickly rising. This was the moment they'd been planning for all those weeks. Their success or failure all rode on her and her ability to handle whatever Yoshio threw at her.

She began pacing, pulling at her barely-there leather skirt, trying to tug her pinstripe top low enough to cover any of her midriff. _'More fabric than a bikini, my ass,'_ she thought. She might never want to wear another business suit again after this was over. The lock on the door clicked and she froze. As the handle turned, she immediately bowed her head, holding her jittery, gloved hands together tightly.

"Good evening, master," she said, hoping the nervousness in her voice wasn't too off-putting to her target.

He was silent, though she could hear his footsteps and then see them as they came into her line of sight. Instead of speaking to her at all when he stood in front of her, he gripped her chin hard and snapped her head up, turning it to the left and right. He was a head shorter than his youngest son but that meant he still had a good eight inches towering over her. It was all she could do not to wrench herself out of his hand and run and she was sure the fear showed plainly on her face. Thankfully, it only added to the experience Yoshio liked. After he finished inspecting her face, he released her chin and started circling her slowly. She shuddered internally but made no external indication to her discomfort.

"Do you know why you're here, girl?" He asked in that deep, icy voice of his.

"Yes, master," she managed to squeak.

"Tell me why you are here," he demanded, still circling her as if he were a vulture with a fresh carcass.

"To-to please you, master. But you should know-"

"You have yet to be touched. I am well aware. That is, after all, your greatest draw to me." He ran his fingers through her copper locks. The icy tone had not changed. "You see, what I enjoy most out of Onaga's new girls is _breaking them in._ "

His voice turned dark and he wrapped her hair around his hand, yanking it back suddenly. Because of the amount of pins and glue she'd used to ensure it stayed on no matter what, the wig pulled everything: her hair, her scalp, the skin around her ears and nape of her neck. She cried out in pain. She was bent backwards, nearly in half, with tears pricking the corners of her eyes, staring up into his glared-over glasses. She whimpered. Was this really the same man she'd dined with on several occasions? The man who sired one of her closest friends? How could she not have realized-how could _no one_ have known he was this depraved monster?!

"So you're not a fake after all. Delightful." He leered over her, still holding her head hostage, his chillingly level voice washing over her terrified face. "Now you understand that for the next," the sadistic bastard casually checked his watch, "forty-two minutes, every little thing about you is mine." Yoshio traced his index finger gently across her cheek before releasing her hair and shoving her away so roughly that she stumbled, nearly falling. She turned quickly, unwilling to have her back to her target for even a second. "And if you are a good little girl, perhaps you will be lucky enough to be mine again, assuming there's anything left of you to take."

Yoshio picked up the left glass and raised it to his lips. Just before he took a sip, he lowered it again and stared at her shaking form and toasted her! The bastard was playing the cat and mouse game and loving it! "It is such a beautiful thing when a girl becomes a woman. I do hope you enjoy the experience as much as I intend to." The disturbing smile that spread across his face had her covering as much of herself as she possibly could. "Ah, ah, ah. Hiding anything from me is absolutely forbidden, girl." Haruhi quickly dropped her arms, fearing the consequences otherwise. "That's better." Yoshio took a long draught from his glass and sat it back down before slowly walking towards the frozen brunette, that same sinister smile on his face. Five minutes.

The older man trailed his fingertips lightly up her arms, across her bare shoulders, and down her back, tracing the back curve of her top. She barely repressed the urge to jump away, just stared at him, not even daring to blink. She still couldn't see past the glare on his glasses. Her breathing came in shallow bursts. She felt the fingertips trace their way back up to her neck and very nearly cringed. He unhooked the clasp of her business-like halter. Haruhi's hands instinctively reached up to grab the straps as they fell, but mentally forced them back down.

"Good girl," he said in that same ice cold calm. "Now I get to give you a choice. You can take it off. Or I will."

"I-I will, mas-ster."

"Oh, come now. There's no need to be so nervous," he stated as her shaking hands moved to carefully undo the top button near her cleavage. The straps fell lower. "So long as you stay well-behaved. If you start acting up, well then I will be forced to show you why I am the premier medical professional in the country. The nerves and pain receptors you have in your tiny body, your mind wouldn't be able to fathom. The bones I could break with so little effort." Haruhi paled and froze reaching for the second button. "Well? Go on," he urged coldly.

Haruhi whimpered but hastily removed the final button, letting the halter fall to the white carpet at her feet. She shivered at the sudden chill on her exposed skin, her whole body trembling in fear. She had no idea what would happen in the next few minutes but somehow she knew from the moment she stepped into this room that she wasn't leaving unscathed. She only hoped her friends would.

"Very good," Yoshio complimented in that unchanging voice. "Most girls fail that part and I have to punish them." The older man's fingertips trailed an unpleasant path down her neck, her collarbone, her breathing becoming more and more shallow as tears pricked her eyes. She hated the feeling. It made her skin crawl. But she still had enough sense to know it could get worse if she reacted. She felt him reach the curve of her right breast and as much as she tried to fight it, her eyes squeezed shut.

"I said to hide _nothing_." His voice became dangerous as she felt her right nipple being twisted and pulled hard. Haruhi yelped, her eyes flying open, and she instinctively jumped away, swatting his hand.

Her stomach sank when she realized what she had done. "I'm s-sorry, m-mas-ster," she stammered, her hand over her mouth.

"No matter," he replied, calmly walking towards her again. "I am, after all, a benevolent person. I can overlook _one_ transgression." In an instant, he grabbed her throat and drug her to him. " _Never_ let it happen again," he growled into her ear. She nodded quickly even as she struggled and gasped for breath. The tears she had been fighting back fell down her face in two steady streams. Seemingly satisfied, he threw her to the ground where she lay coughing and clutching at her neck.

 _"Four minutes,"_ Ritsu whispered reassuringly into her ear. Haruhi's panic only rose more. How could there still be _four minutes_ until the SUX took effect?!

Yoshio dropped, resting on his ankles, in front of her. "Now, are you going to be a good girl?" The brunette whimpered again and nodded. "Excellent. I'd genuinely hate to have to mar that pretty face or that tempting little body. Lay here." He pointed to the patch of floor right at his feet and she was quick to scramble over. Haruhi lay where she was instructed, straight and stiff. She felt disgusted and disgusting as his hands groped her breasts, crushing them, giving her nipples a sharp twist every so often. They were going to be covered in dark bruises when this was over.

"Where are those delicious little screams you were giving me earlier," he asked as he dug his fingers into her left breast, squeezing it hard and only receiving quiet whimpers in return. "You should know one of my favorite things about this room is that it's soundproof, so you don't have to fear being overheard." Haruhi knew that was meant as a threat. At the same time, she didn't want to give her friends any more reason to worry than she'd already had so when he pulled on her nipple again, she only bit her lip to stop herself from making any noise at all. He sighed.

"I believe," he started, mounting her knees, "I told you," he took both nipples in the fingers of each hand, "to _scream._ " He yanked them, so hard, it brought her entire torso up off the floor. She gasped sharply but still made no further sound than a tiny squeak. Yoshio shook his head. "I must say, I'm disappointed. You started off so well-behaved."

He got up off her knees but before she even had a chance to relax the joints, he had forced her legs as wide apart as they could possibly go and sat between them, his back holding one leg in place, his outstretched feet, the other. Her skirt flipped up over her stomach, leaving her barely covered vagina completely open to him. She could feel the muscle tension on her inner thighs and knew that if she tried to release the pressure on her own, her hips could easily dislocate or the muscles could easily tear. She would have to shimmy her body up slowly and that was not going to happen so long as the sadistic fuck was conscious.

"Your flexibility is impressive," he said, the dangerous tone blending ominously into his icy voice. "I shall enjoy testing just how flexible you get. But for now, I need to curb this unfortunate stubbornness you seem to have. _Scream._ " He wrenched the black thong aside and plunged two fingers directly into her unprepared center.

She screamed. The pain of his careless thrust burned her insides. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head at the sudden onslaught and tears poured down her cheeks. She could feel his nails digging into the soft tissue that convulsed on impact, trying desperately to remove the foreign intrusion. It took every ounce of concentration she had left to force her still-gloved hands to lay flat.

 _"_ _ **Haruhi**_ _!"_ Her three cohorts shouted, their stressed panic as apparent in their voices as her pain was in hers.

 _"Hold on, Haruhi, you can do it. Only two more minutes to go,"_ Ritsu encouraged. If Yoshio had been paying attention, he might have heard those voices. As it was, he yanked the tips of his inserted fingers upwards, drawing a second cry from the brunette.

"There, was that so hard?" He asked, condescendingly. She only sobbed in reply. The older man retrieved his fingers and stared at the flecks of blood mixed with whatever fluids he'd managed to encourage her body to produce. "My, my. You really haven't been touched at all, have you, girl? How thrilling. I do so enjoy when Onaga sends me fresh ones. Happy New Year indeed." He leered at her burning entrance before forcing his fingers back in, this time adding a third.

Haruhi screeched, her back arching off the floor, her head thrashing. It felt like white-hot wires were being inserted into her and then twisted. Everything was burning and it showed no sign of stopping. It hurt. It hurt so bad. She couldn't concentrate. Couldn't focus on anything except squirming and trying to get away. Her copper locks were damp with tears and sweat. Yoshio was ruthless in his attack, never ceasing, never giving her a moment's rest. Just twisting and shoving his fingers relentlessly into her core. And then a shift, subtle at first, but building. A sort of tightness in her lower regions that wasn't the same as the agonizing fire that burned her. The second her mind registered that shift, Haruhi flew into a near blind panic. No. No. No.

"NO!" No way was she going to let her body do that to her. She would never forgive herself for that. She had known it was a possibility. She refused to accept it. Now it was happening and all she wanted to do was escape.

"You don't get to make that decision, girl," Yoshio said, viciously, shoving his fingers in harder and faster. Completely forgetting that she wasn't supposed to touch him for fear of leaving bruises on his corpse, she bolted up and yanked his hand out of her, crying out again as the white-hot burn retuned full force. She forced the muscles in her right leg to tearing point in order to get the appendage over Yoshio's fancy shoes. Unfortunately, having been stuck in that position for so long, it only added to her pain as she forced the stiff limb to bend and her assailant was able to catch it easily.

"And just what do you think you're doing, girl?" He snarled. He twisted her knee almost to breaking point, making Haruhi cry out in anguish. "You belong. To me." He threw her leg down and climbed over her. "And I think it's time I made that clear."

The panic that had threatened to swallow her before now overwhelmed her entirely. She couldn't even tell where she was anymore. Her vision kept switching. Sterile, white bedroom. Filthy, dark alley. Room. Alley. Room. Alley. She squeezed her eyes shut but that did nothing.

"No, no, no, please, no! Please don't do this. Don't make me do this. I'm sorry. I'll be good. Please. I can't-I don't want to do this. I'll do anything. Anything but that." She couldn't stop sobbing, the pain of her sex still blinding. She didn't know who she was pleading with anymore. Yoshio? Raiden? Some other hellish nightmare come back to haunt her?

"Begging already? I didn't expect such a dirty mouth from such a fresh girl," he said in savage amusement. She started squirming again, trying to move away. _'It_ has _to be down to the last seconds now,'_ she thought, desperately. She didn't know how much more she could take. "Tisk, tisk. I just don't think you're getting the message, girl," Yoshio said easily keeping up with her attempts to get away. "You're _mine._ " He punctuated the word by shoving his fingers back into her, relishing in the screams that tore from her throat.

Moments later, Haruhi felt a crushing weight on her legs as Yoshio's lower body sank and relief washed over her with the realization that her ordeal was almost over. She could read the confused surprise on his face as he tried to figure out why his legs were suddenly not doing what he wanted them to. The brunette rolled him off of her, knowing she had about a minute and a half before the SUX killed him. Ninety seconds where Yoshio would be completely conscious. She chuckled. Through the burning pain in her lower regions, she chuckled evilly.

"You feel it, don't you, Yoshio?" She suggested darkly as she sat up, wincing, and scooted away facing him. Regardless of how much agony she was in, Haruhi was going to enjoy these last moments of his life. "Your limbs don't want to work, do they?" She grinned, almost sadistically at the surprised look on his face. "Do you want to know why that is? It's because, to put it simply, you are dying. That wine you drank, it was poisoned." She watched gleefully as his surprise morphed into rage. By now he wasn't able to do more than wiggle helplessly, much as she had been doing mere seconds ago while his hand ravaged her.

"Do you want to know how? You've probably used the stuff a lot in your years as a doctor, one of the reasons I found it so appropriately ironic. Succinylcholine." Haruhi delighted to see the rage turn quickly into fear. "I see you _are_ familiar with the substance. Than you know that it's a paralytic and by now, you are probably feeling your lungs slowing down. Soon, they'll stop working altogether, but you'll still be conscious until your brain uses up all the oxygen it has left. Horrid way to go, really, but beautiful in that it simply looks like you've suffered a heart attack.

"Not surprising, really, considering all the stress you've been under lately. What, with the impending buyout and subsequent saving of your company, then the scandalous attempt on your life by the French assassin back in November, followed by the public transfer of power to Kyouya last month and all the paperwork that went into finalizing that." Her sinister grin grew, seeing the slow realization in his eyes, and nodded. "That's right. You just sexually assaulted your son's girlfriend. Now that _is_ sick. Thank you for that tip about Tamaki-senpai's mother, by the way. I'm glad to have brought that tragic story to a happy ending."

 _"Jeez, and people think_ I'm _sadistic."_ Karma muttered.

"Here's what's going to happen, Yoshio. You're going to die on the floor like roadkill, and that computer over there is going to tell the world what a disgusting, pathetic, sack of shit you are. The wine and full glass over there are going to stay while I take the one you drank out of and throw it down to my friend outside. After all, two glasses doesn't make a whole lot of sense, does it? Then I'm going to clean up all evidence that I was ever here. Beyond that, I believe I will go back downstairs and enjoy a nice dinner with your heir because he asked me to, not that he has any idea it's _me_ he asked." He didn't react so she reached over and checked his pulse. It was still there, but it was very weak and irregular.

"It would seem you are still alive, which means you can still hear and understand my voice. How does it feel, Yoshio? To know that your death is so immanent and unavoidable? Does it feel justified after all the disgraceful things you've done over the decades? It feels justified to me. So many skeletons in your closet, surely you agree to deserving this. I wonder, do you regret it all now? Or do you only regret getting caught? It's a shame you can't tell me, then again, perhaps answering my questions isn't on you priority list of things to say to me at the moment." She checked for his pulse again but felt nothing. "The last seconds of your life are slipping by, Yoshio. I hope it was worth it."

She waited another thirty seconds before she let the bravado fall from her face and posture. Thirty more seconds and she couldn't hold back the tears any longer. She cried. Her body hurt so much. It overwhelmed her senses and she lost herself to the pain, both physical and mental. A few minutes passed by before she even registered that her friends were doing their best to comfort her from their positions in and around the mansion.

 _"Fuck this, I'm going in."_ She heard Karma say to the others, forcing her to withdraw from her own abyss.

"No, don't. I'll be fine," she sniffed. "I just…I just needed a chance to react, okay?" She heard him growl in her ear.

 _"Fine. But you owe me big."_

Haruhi knew he was fighting every instinct and urge he had not to burst in through the window and carry her off to safety. She understood how difficult it must have been for them all to listen to everything that was going on in this room but not be able to interfere. "I know."

She stood up slowly, hissing and wincing as the pain between her legs flared, and wobbled to the bathroom. The first thing she had to do was clean up the blood and other fluids so she grabbed the peroxide from under the sink and went to work. Once finished, she walked the chemical back to the now lifeless Yoshio, stopping only to put the pinstripe top back on, and proceeded to meticulously clean the hand he used to assault her. His knuckles, cuticles, underneath his fingernails, every crevice had to be spotless. There could be no trace. She scanned his clothes with the same attention to detail for hairs or other signs of disturbance not associated to simply falling on the floor before cleaning everything that got on the carpet. As an extra precaution, she took his phone out of the breast pocket of his jacket and laid it by the computer before dumping his glass of wine into the toilet along with the paper products she'd cleaned with and flushed them away.

 _"Fifteen minutes, Haruhi."_ Ritsu warned.

"Shit," she muttered, quickly slipping her sapphire gown back on. She took one last look in the mirror to make sure none of the developing bruises were showing on her neck and that her hair was as perfectly straight and shiny as it had been before and her brown hair was still entirely hidden. "Alright, Ritsu, go ahead and send the message to Mitsu with the words 'I miss her, Mitsu'. When I give the signal, freeze the hall camera just like you did before. I'm going to get over to the West wing. Once I do, start showing me walking around, lost."

 _"Haruhi, I still say this is a bad idea. I don't even think_ your _mask can handle Kyouya's scrutiny after everything we heard."_ Nagisa cautioned.

"I know but walking out the front door is the only way I'm getting out of here. I don't exactly have the ability to scale the wall right now," she replied, darkly. "And if that means sitting through dinner, I think I can manage. I hope I can, at least. Just be sure to meet me when I get down there to take this glass and wash it."

 _"I can come up there and get you, Haru. You know I can."_

"No. It's too risky. One alone could get up or down without attracting attention. Two? Not as likely. I just have to get through dinner. I'll be okay." Karma let out a frustrated snarl and Haruhi sighed. She knew he wanted to help more than he was getting to and she would love nothing more than for him to be her knight in shining armor. Every step was agonizing to her body. But she also knew that what she said was true. So, overall, it was better if she got out on her own. She walked to the door with the extra wine glass.

"Okay, Ritsu. Now." She darted from the room, intentionally leaving the door slightly cracked. She scurried down the hall and around the corner, running the blueprints through her mind and trying desperately to ignore the burning sensation in her lower regions. Up the next hallway and one more right turn led her straight to the correct area.

"Alright, Ritsu, you can stop freezing cameras, I'm here," she whispered, darting her head from side to side with a frustrated look on her face. She huffed and walked forward, passing Fuyumi's room, and then Kyouya's. As she was walking past Yuuichi's room, Aikito's door opened and she curse her luck.

"What's a lovely guest like you doing so far from the party?" He asked in a tone that made her skin crawl. Instead, she turned around, hiding the glass behind her back.

"I was looking for the restroom and I got lost. I'm sorry, your name is?" She answered nervously.

"Ootori Aikito. You can call me Aikito-kun." He winked, causing her fear to spike slightly. "And who might you be?"

"Kazane. Could you please tell me how to get back to the main hall?"

"Sure thing, Kazane-chan. I was just heading back, myself." He offered his arm and though she felt like doing anything else, she took it. He led her in silence for a short while before breaking it. "You're a quiet one, aren't you?"

"I find solace and peace in silence, yes," she answered briefly.

"You know, we don't really get a lot of girls around here that look the way you do. Just where are you from?"

"Ireland."

"That so? What are you doing so far from home?"

 _'Déjà vu,'_ Haruhi thought, sarcastically. She winced inwardly as they reached the main staircase and started their descent. "I believe my business is my business," she said, slightly tartly. He studied her for a moment before smirking.

"I can see right through your little act, you know." She blinked.

"And just what is it that you think you see, sir?"

"You may seem like you're all innocent and shy, but I bet you can be a real wildcat when your daddy's not looking, can't you?" He whispered into her ear. She braced herself for the last step.

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about. Thank you for guiding me back to the hall." She curtsied and walked away. "Intolerable asshole," she muttered under her breath, causing her friends to snicker. She moved back to her out-of-the-way corner she had occupied before handing off the wine glass to Nagisa who passed her, looking worried. It felt good to see him. Hearing her cohorts was soothing but _seeing_ one really helped to ease her mind. She felt much better, mentally at least, when Kyouya strolled up to her.

"There you are, Arima-san," he said, with a touch of relief to his voice. "I have been looking for you. Are you ready to go in?" She nodded and took his arm. When everyone had taken their places, there was a glaring empty chair at the head of the table.

"Who is supposed to sit there?" She whispered to the raven-haired teen before looking around. "Your father?"

"Yes, but he was called to the hospital for an emergency. He'd hoped to be back by now, but it would seem the emergency was worse than originally speculated." They watched Yuuichi stand and invite the gathered to enjoy their meals.

"I thought you were the heir," Haruhi whispered. "Shouldn't that have been your job?"

"It will be when my father retires and I actually ascend the position. Until then, the burden falls to my eldest brother." Haruhi nodded and the pair fell into silence. He trying to think of something to say and she attempting and failing to ignore the burning pain her body was suffering. "Are you alright, Arima-san? You look pale." Kyouya had noticed the sheen of sweat on her forehead, the slight crease in the corners of her eyes, seen the tense grip she held her utensils with.

"Huh? Oh, yes sir, I'm fine. Thank you for asking." She gave him a smile.

"Arima-san, you're not a very good liar." She laughed shakily.

"My father used to say the same thing. It got me in a lot of trouble when I was a girl. I'm afraid I just haven't quite grown accustomed to your Japanese food yet. Give me some shepherd's pie and blaa any day over all this fish and tofu."

"Yes, I'd imagine cuisine is a great deal different on the other side of the hemisphere. I can tell you which foods are going to be light on your stomach, if you wish."

"That would be very helpful, thank you."

"Do you plan to stay much longer in Japan?"

She huffed, setting her utensils down gently on the table. " _Again_ with my plans, Ootori-san? It must be a family thing, because your brother asked me the same nosey questions you did." She dismissively picked up her water glass and took a sip. "Are you going to imply that I'm some sort of secret, wild, party girl as well? Odds are in my favor, I'm running two for two now."

"He did _what_?" Kyouya growled, glaring down the table at Aikito, who happened to not be looking in their direction. "No, I'm not going to accuse you of promiscuous behavior, and I'll deal with _him_ later. He ought to know better than to speak to not only a guest, but a lady, in such a manner."

"So, because I'm a girl, I shouldn't be subjected to such talk? Are we not equal sexes?" She teased.

"That's not what I meant at all. Of course men and women are generally equal. Are you telling me you _enjoy_ mincing such words?"

"It is unavoidable when you are the only sister of five brothers. Often, they come to me for advice from a woman's perspective. I am not some delicate flower and it is not for you to say that I shouldn't be spoken to like that. Nor is it for your brother to make such assumptions about my personality."

"I see. You are an interesting young woman, Arima-san." He sounded contemplative, more than anything.

"Once again, I'll take that as a compliment." She looked down at her new plate and bowl, apprehensively. "Er…is that a…headless squid?"

"Indeed. It is a delicacy here in Japan. Pour the sauce over it. If it moves, you know it's as fresh as it can get."

"It's a _live_ headless squid?!" She squeaked, gazing up at him, horrified.

"Of course not. Just…recently dead. Do you see that black part there in the center? Those are the nerve endings. They react with the sauce and cause it to seize up. See?" He gestured around the long table at the other guests who were laughing delightedly at the sight of the flipping tentacles and Haruhi's face, which had simply been pale with a sheen of sweat, turned green.

"Excuse me," she said breathlessly, covering her mouth and throwing down her napkin. "I…I have to go." She rose quickly and all but ran out of the dining hall, heedless of the sudden silent stares of the rest of the party.

"Arima-san, wait!" Kyouya called, following after her with a hurried excuse of "cultural differences" to those who turned their eyes on him. By the time he made it into the reception hall, Haruhi was already outside losing what little she had eaten into the bushes that lined the front steps. "Arima-san," he panted as he started gathering her luscious copper locks away from her face. "Are you alright, my dear?"

"Here you are, Master. A cool cloth for the lady, sir." He took the damp rag from the very quick catering employee and waved the boy off, placing it on the back of her neck. She whipped around on him the moment it touched her skin and he was surprised to see her crying.

"Am I alright?! Am I _alright_?! You just told me that _butchering a live squid_ and then bathing the _poor creature_ in a sauce that _causes it more pain_ just so it'll dance for you like _a puppet on a string_ was a _treat_! No! I am _bloody well_ _not_ alright!" Haruhi kept switching from Japanese to English, punctuating her need to express how she was feeling in a way a foreigner without an extensive grasp on the language might. "It's _barbaric,_ and I'm going home!"

 _"Karasama should be there to pick you up in ten seconds,"_ Karma hissed into her ear.

"As you wish. At least let me offer you one of my cars to see you home safely."

"No need. There's my ride now." She stumbled down the steps, hugging Karasama and a brunette Irina as they stepped out of the car. "Oh, uncle, auntie, why did you have me come here tonight? It was awful!" Haruhi cried. Karasama awkwardly put his arms around her, patting her head soothingly before guiding her into the rear passenger seat and returning to the driver's side.

"I left my niece in the care of the Ootori family for three hours at a public event and I return to find her utterly distraught?! Mark my words, boy, you and your family will pay for this outrage!" Irina seethed.

"Come along, dear. Let's just get our Kazane home so she can rest and from there, we will decide how to proceed." Karasama slipped into the car and after one final glare at Kyouya, Irina followed suit. Once he had put some distance between them and the Ootori mansion, Karasama looked back at the near-silently crying Haruhi and sighed. He hoped whatever had happened to her wasn't so traumatizing that she ended up ruined for good. He'd hated sending a girl in to do the job of a professional and had warred with that decision for months before agreeing to it and months after. Seeing her now, Karasama wondered if he'd really made the right call.

"We're taking you back to headquarters now to be checked out by medical. Don't worry, it's an all-female staff. Irina will stay with you regardless while I gather the others from Karma's apartment and bring them in for debriefing."

"Understood sir," she sniffed.

 _"We'll see you soon, Haru. Because I guarantee I won't sleep again until I do."_

 _"Same here,"_ Nagisa added. Everyone went silent for the remainder of the ride, each one overwhelmed with worry for the brunette in the back seat.


	43. The Aftermath, Part One

A/N: Sorry, everyone. I struggled a lot with this chapter. How to begin it, what to put in it, where to end it...

* * *

The Aftermath, Part One

"Oh my word," one nurse exclaimed.

"That bastard," Irina breathed, staring at Haruhi's mottled skin, horrified. Whether she was talking about Karasama for sending her in the first place, or Yoshio for actually doing the damage, even the blonde didn't know.

Haruhi's eyes teared up as she tried to cover as much of her breasts and neck as possible. They ached horribly and were almost completely colored in dark purples and greens. Her neck suffered the same fate as hand prints of dark purple curled their way around. She had only removed the top and if the reactions of those surrounding her were anything to go by, she was in for one hell of a recovery. She sobbed while Irina stroked her hair and a nurse hooked an IV of painkillers to her arm.

"Okay, dear. Please change into the gown, lie back, and I'll get the doctor to have a look at the rest of you. Come along, you two," the matronly head nurse ordered the other two. "I think she needs some time alone with Agent Jelavić. I don't know _why_ they start them so young. Do they know what kind of irrevocable damage can be done to a young body? Do they _care_ at all?" Haruhi could hear her mumbling to herself until the door shut behind the three nurses. All too soon, the only sounds were the beeping of the monitors and the brunette's quiet cries.

"Haruhi?" Irina waited until the girl's watery, brown eyes were looking up at her. "I want you to know that I am sorry you had to suffer like this. I understand what it's like, believe me. So if you ever need to talk to anybody, you can always come to me." Haruhi said nothing, only cried harder, leaning into her old sensei's embrace. The female doctor strolled in, gazing at the young girl, sympathetically.

"Agent Fujioka, if you will please lie back so we can begin your examination." The brunette complied.

Three hours later, Haruhi was fitfully sleeping off the last of the anesthesia from the surgery she'd needed to stitch and staple the internal wounds Yoshio had created. She bolted up, a silent scream tearing from her throat, as she twisted her head every possible way. Her skin shone with sweat. Irina jumped in her seat by Haruhi's bed and clutched her hand, making soothing noises, calming the brunette. It took a few minutes but she managed the task.

"It's okay, Haruhi. You're safe now. Breathe with me. In. Out. In. Out. Better. Come on, you can do it. That's it. I know. The first time you wake up, you can't tell the difference between nightmare and reality, can you? I understand. Trust me. But this is reality. And your reality is safe. It will be for a lot of people now, thanks to what you've accomplished tonight."

"What happened? I mean while I was out." Haruhi asked, once her mind shook itself free of the horrors she'd suffered.

"The surgery was a success. Every wound _he_ made has been sealed off. There will be some internal scarring, but they won't know how much until the stitches and staples have dissolved. The external scar isn't even two inches long. There were also hairline tears around your knee, but nothing that won't heal on its own. You'll be kept here overnight but you should be able to go home tomorrow. Walking around is going to be a bitch but nothing you won't be able to handle.

"Unfortunately, due to the situation, you will still have to go back to school Monday, so rest up tonight and tomorrow while you can. The doctor will provide you with pain medication and sleep aides to stave off the nightmares." Haruhi listened with rapt attention, dreading her return to school. How was she supposed to act like nothing was wrong when her body was so achingly battered, both inside and out? How could she get through the twins hanging on her, Tamaki's crushing hugs, even walking to and from class, without showing the slightest grimace?

"And Yoshio?" She asked, shivering. Did they actually do it? Was that monster actually dead?

"He was discovered an hour ago by a maid and declared dead on site by one of our emergency responders. He was then taken down to the coroner's office where another of our agents is examining him now. So far, it's been kept quiet and out of the media. I'm sure your boyfriend has a lot to do with that. Impressive work with the foreign angle, by the way. I'm glad at least _someone_ was paying attention during my English lessons."

"What about Karma and Nagisa? Did they make it out okay?"

"They're fine. They're waiting outside the room to see you right now. Just be glad you didn't actually scream when you woke up. I don't think Death, himself, would have been enough to stop those boys from rushing in here if you had, and that probably wouldn't have helped your initial panic. Do you want me to call them in?"

Haruhi nodded. She probably would feel better seeing them and she could only imagine them chomping at the bit to be allowed access to her after everything they'd been forced to listen to. She thought about covering her neck with the blanket laying on top of her but decided against it. They already knew she had been injured so there was no point in hiding the evidence of it from them.

" **Haruhi**!" Karma and Nagisa rushed her bedside with every intention of throwing their arms around her when her surrendering hands and the bruise on her neck brought them up short.

"Handle with care, guys. I'm pretty fragile right now." She sighed at the amplified concern mirrored on both faces. She couldn't blame them. Nagisa rubbed at his own neck and sat on the edge of the bed cautiously. Karma clenched his fist.

"I'll leave you kids alone for a little while. I'm sure you three have a lot to talk about."

"Would you mind making sure those disguises get burned? I don't want any trace of them left for anyone to find. Actually, I want the boots. But everything else can be destroyed." Irina chuckled as she grabbed the clothes and left.

"What else?" The red head asked through gritted teeth, his golden eyes more crimson than she had ever seen them as he eyed her mottled throat. "What else did he do to you? Did he actually-" He couldn't bring himself to finish.

"No, no he didn't have enough time to get that far, thank the gods. I won't lie though, he did manage to do some damage in the five minutes he had." Nagisa sighed in relief but patted her leg sympathetically. "I really don't want to say anymore." The tears that shimmered in her eyes took all the fight out of Karma. Instead of being ready to rip someone's head off, he just slumped in the chair beside her, defeated.

"I…should have been there. You shouldn't have had to go through…whatever it was. We _should_ have done something different."

"Stop that," the brunette said sharply. "We've had months to come up with a different plan and none of them worked. This was our best option for success and you know it. We all knew the risks when we agreed to the assignment in the first place. It's over now and he won't be doing that to anyone else. So let's just try to move on."

"Will you be coming back to Karma's apartment tonight?" Nagisa asked.

"No, they want to keep me here overnight for observation. I'm to go home tomorrow and back to school on Monday, acting like nothing's wrong."

"Wow, brutal," Nagisa replied.

"No kidding. It's not going to be easy but it's the only way to keep my cover from being blown. Speaking of covers, you should start thinking about heading home too, 'Gisa. Won't your mom worry that you're out this late?"

"Nah, I told her this morning I'd be staying over at Karma's tonight. I'm not expected back until about noon tomorrow. That's still cool with you, right?"

"Yeah, that's fine. If it's okay with Haruhi, though, I'm gonna stay here for the night with her." The red head looked towards the girl, almost pleadingly. She didn't have it in her to say no, nor did she even want to.

"It's not going to be comfortable, but if you really want to, I won't stop you." He nodded once.

"In that case," Nagisa said, yawning, "I'm gonna go ahead and go. It's been one hell of a night and I'm exhausted. I really only stayed this late because I was worried about you, Haruhi. But I'll see you soon."

"Alright then," the brunette replied, slightly taken aback by the abrupt departure. "I guess it couldn't have been easy listening to what was happening on top of trying to do your catering job. Thanks for waiting for me. Go on and get some rest." He stood up and headed for the door.

"Hey, Nagisa, you're not going to get very far without this," Karma called, tossing the other boy his apartment key. The bluenette caught the key with a well-practiced ease, not even bothering to turn his head.

"Still as quick as ever," Haruhi giggled.

"You know it!" Nagisa gloated as he left the room. As soon as the door clicked shut, Karma let out a deep breath and leaned forward, rubbing his hands over his face. Now that it was just he and Haruhi, he couldn't hold back the stress and worry he'd been tense with all night. At the same time, Haruhi sighed, letting all the bravado drop from her face. The resounding silence that followed quickly became too much for her.

"Karma?" Haruhi called softly. "Talk to me." _'Take me out of my head, if only for a little while,'_ she finished to herself.

"What do you want me to say, Haru?"

"You can start with why you decided to stay here instead of going back to your apartment with 'Gisa."

"You're joking, right? After everything that's happened tonight, after everything I listened to, you think I'd go anywhere? Haru, I thought I was going to lose you. Do you have any idea how hard it was to stay out of your way when you were screaming like that? When you were crying that damn hard? I would have torn that building apart with everyone inside if you had said you needed help. Nagisa had to ask for a break so he could come and hold me back and you think I would be anywhere else?"

"You're right," she said quietly. "I'm sorry. That was a dumb question. You guys suffered too. You had to listen to it. You couldn't see what was going on. It must have been just as terrifying for you as it was for me. I tried. I tried not to make a sound. Tried to make it easier on you three. But he wanted me to. Made me…made me scream."

"How?" Karma whispered, holding one of her hands. If he was going to help her at all, he needed to know. They all needed to know. "How did he make you scream?" Her eyes grew in fear, even as they shimmered with unshed tears at the memory, before they squeezed shut. "Haru, please. Tell me."

"Talk to me about anything except that," she urged softly, her head pointed down at her blanket. "I…just want to forget it ever happened and move on."

"Can you expect us to ever forget the screams you made? Do you honestly think me and Nagisa can simply just 'move on' from that?"

"You're assassins, aren't you? It's part of our job description to forget and move on. If Professor Bitch has taught me anything, it's that." Her hands balled her blanket into fists.

"Hold on, you're not seriously thinking about taking Karasama up on that, are you? After everything Yoshio did to you tonight?" He asked incredulously. She stared at him hard.

"Yeah. Yeah, I am," she replied defiantly. "Maybe not full-time like Professor Bitch, but I like the idea of getting madmen like him out of the picture before they cause more harm and assassination works a hell of a lot faster than the legal system."

"Okay, so how is tonight any different from Koro-sensei?" She blinked. "See, you still haven't 'moved on' from that night. What makes you so sure tonight won't be the same? Or any future target, for that matter?"

"Because," she said, a slight catch to her voice. "Yoshio and future targets could only ever hurt me physically. Wounds heal. Scars fade. The emotional pain caused by killing Kor-ro-sens-sei, that lives forever." Her lip quivered as she futilely tried to fight back sobs.

"If it's that easy for you to move on from tonight, then why is it so hard for you to talk about what he did to you?"

Karma knew he was pushing her to breaking point. He knew his questions were getting to her, backing her into a corner and leaving her with nowhere to run. He knew and he hated it. He hated what he was doing to her, hated watching her tears fall faster, hearing her sobs grow stronger, but it was the only way to get her to talk and she needed to talk. If she didn't, he might lose her to herself and he refused to let that happen.

"Would…you…want to-to…talk about…it?" She asked through her sobs. "If you were…were v-violated…by a-a grown m-man, wou-would y-you want t-to talk about it?"

 _'Damnit,'_ he thought. _'Why does she always have to be so fucking good at cutting through someone's resolve?!'_ He sighed, resigned. "You're right, as usual. I'd never want to talk about something like that with anyone. But you still need to. And I'll be here to listen when you're ready to." He couldn't do it. He couldn't push her anymore after a question like that. All of the air blew out of his sails and he slumped in his seat, still clutching her hand. "What are you going to do about Kyouya now?" He asked in that same subdued tone.

Haruhi let out a deep breath, rubbing the tears from her face. "How do you keep pinpointing the exact topics I most want to avoid thinking about? Kyouya's…complicated." Her feelings on the subject were…complicated. She had no doubt that she was in love with her best friend, but she also knew that the last thing she wanted was to break Kyouya's heart. The raven-haired teen may not be her _best_ friend that she was head over heels for, but he still held a piece of her heart. All of the hosts did.

"Okay then, what's your dad gonna say when he sees you taking it easy or when Kyouya calls him telling him you've been taking it easy at school?"

"Every time," the brunette grumbled. "I don't know yet. I was thinking about just telling him to go visit Misuzu again. That worked last time when Raiden attacked me. That way I can just mask it at school and take it easy when I'm home. I'm screwed if the hosts come over though."

"Are you going to want company around your apartment?" He asked, knowing he'd be right there if the others came over, whether she wanted him to be or not.

"Maybe. Give me a few days though. Pretty please?" She pouted at him, batting her eyelashes ridiculously an effect that was ruined by her red eyes but he played along anyway.

"Yeah sure, now put that look away before you end up seducing the nurses," Karma laughed. The first she'd heard from him all night. Her face visibly brightened as they felt the tension in the room ease.

"Want me to go with you when Karasama takes you home tomorrow, at least?"

"Nah, better not chance it. Right now, he just thinks I'm spending the night with a friend. He'll assume a girlfriend and seeing you would shatter that illusion. Remember what happened when he saw my mission outfit? Let's just keep _those_ rose-colored lenses firmly in place."

Karma nodded, his ire stoked again at her father's drunken abuse, though he was careful not to reveal it to her. She'd been through enough tonight without having to deal with his temper on top of everything else. She squeezed his hand as if she knew anyway. He returned the gentle touch.

"I'm glad you stayed, Karma," she said softly, the drugs in her system finally lulling her to sleep.

"I knew you wouldn't have asked," he replied simply. After he was sure she was asleep, he whispered, "And I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

Sleep may have captured the battered brunette but the red head was far from its shores that night. How could he help her if she refused to talk to him? How could he protect her if he didn't know where she'd suffered. He tried to think through everything he saw in the video feed, hoping there would be some clue.

 _'She said she was violated, well that much is obvious. But how?!'_ He started chewing on a fingernail, a habit when he was frustrated or trying to figure something out. Karma took his phone out and made a late-night call. His recipient picked it up on the first ring.

"I figured you'd still be up," Karma said, quietly so as to not wake up his sleeping beauty.

"Well, duh. Did you honestly expect me to sleep after all that?" Nagisa responded. "I'll be lucky if I sleep again in a week."

"Yeah, same here. Anyway, I called because-"

"Because you couldn't get any information out of Haruhi and wanted to see if I found something we missed before?" The bluenette guessed accurately.

"You know her almost as well as I do. She can be impossibly tight-lipped when she wants to be."

"Please, no one knows her as well as you do, Karma. Well, I looked over the video feed again but I can't find anything conclusive. I don't know if it was intentional or not, but that camera was well covered up during the…event. You can't see anything except some carpet fibers until she puts it back on. From there, it's just her cleaning up the blood and stuff."

"Blood? What blood? She said he didn't rape her." _'But she was violated. So how-?'_

"Yeah, on his hand, on the carpet, his clothes…."

"Back up, his hand?"

"Yeah, didn't you notice? She was pretty meticulous about that one." Karma paled.

"I think I know what happened to her," he whispered.

"What do you me-oh no," Nagisa muttered as the same realization clicked in his mind. "Do you think-"

"Yeah, I do. That sick fuck used his hand in her."

Nagisa heard the fury in his best friend's voice and winced. "Uh…do you need me to come back to headquarters and keep you from destroying the place?"

The red head looked over at his Haru and sighed deeply. "No, I'm good. I just-"

"I know. Look, just keep holding her hand or something. We all know she keeps you level-headed. We'll deal with whatever happens later. Do you think she's injured anywhere else?"

"Hard to say. She's not talking about anything that happened in there and I don't want to push her any more than I already have. She probably knew we'd be able to figure out this much. We'd better stop while we're ahead. I'll see you back at the apartment tomorrow morning, k?"

"Got it. Try to get some rest."

"Easier said, than done. Karma, out." The red head hung up the phone feeling simultaneously better and far worse.

He now had an idea of the horrors and pain she went through but finding out had meant going behind her back so he still couldn't talk to her about it. She'd be livid and the last thing he needed was for her to stop talking to him altogether. He squeezed her hand once more and allowed his tired eyes to close.

A short time later, they reopened in glaring slits at the nurse who came in to check Haruhi's vitals. She glared in return, did her job, and left. A true professional was taking care of his Haru. He smirked appreciatively before closing his eyes again, only to snap open soon after as Haruhi bolted up, screaming from whatever terrors haunted her mind.

He squeezed her hand and started humming to her, soothingly. He knew he had to draw her out of the nightmare slowly or he could end up making her afraid of him. It took a good couple minutes for his voice to break through her panic. Once it did, she just sobbed. He continued humming, a death grip on her hand, until she'd cried herself back to sleep. No words were spoken. None needed to be. She needed to know she wasn't alone, he was there to make sure she wasn't.

" **Geez, Haurhi, you look like hell** ," the twins exclaimed as she trudged into class, nearly late, Monday morning.

"Thanks, guys. That's what a girl wants to hear. I thought you two were supposed to be charming," she snipped.

"Woah, sorry," Hikaru said, throwing up his hands in surrender.

"Yeah, we'll back off, okay?" Kaoru said, mirroring his brother.

Haurhi sighed, emphasizing the exhausted bags under her eyes. She'd barely slept at all. Those pills given to her to aid sleep did nothing. "No, I'm sorry, guys. I'm bushed. 'S no excuse for taking it out on you though."

"Studying all weekend?" Kaoru asked knowingly.

"Always. We have an exam today in European Politics."

They both paled, glancing at each other, panicking, before pulling out the correct book and cramming everything they could before their third class, leaving Haruhi to plop down at her desk gracelessly. She looked over at Karma who tapped his left eye and slowly blinked. She tapped her nose once and looked ahead as their sensei took roll. Karma sighed, worried.

Throughout the day, he kept a close eye on the brunette. She acted normal when someone was interacting with her directly, but if left to her own, she became distant, reserved. The pain she suffered became slightly more apparent in her expressive eyes. When the four first years made it to the club room, half of them were surprised by the 'club closed' sign hanging from the doorknob. The group glanced at each other warily.

"Did Kyouya-senpai mention any kind of meeting to you, Haruhi?" Hikaru asked.

"No, I don't know of anything." She pretended to ponder the query. "Did Tamaki-senpai say anything to either of you?" They shook their heads.

"Well, we're not going to find out standing out here," Karma said, reaching for the opulent handle.

He opened the door and the four stepped inside, one at a time. They were the last to arrive. Nothing seemed out of place, Honey was munching on a cake, Mori watching him. Tamaki was hovering over Kyouya, incessantly asking him why he called the meeting. Kyouya looked like he was about to blow a gasket but that could just be because of the blond pest breathing down his neck.

"Haru-chan!" Honey rushed to launch himself at his favorite friend. He stopped short when he briefly saw a flash of fear cross her eyes before the twins stood in front of her.

"Sorry, senpai, not a good idea. She was apparently up all weekend studying for a test today that we ended up not having," Kaoru cautioned.

"Yeah," Hikaru snickered. "She's so tired, I bet even one of _our_ hugs would knock her over."

"Oh, okay," he said brightly. "Are you feeling better than you were Saturday?"

"I guess," she replied after a momentary mental lapse. "Still miss her a lot though."

"I can't even imagine," the short senior said, downcast. "Do you think maybe I can go with you next time? So you don't have to be alone?" His light brown eyes watered as he stared at her pleadingly.

"Go with her where?" Hikaru asked, curious. Haruhi looked down.

"My mother's grave." She replied quietly. At once their faces turned solemn and Karma laid a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. "I went to visit Saturday night after studying for about six hours. I couldn't focus anymore, so I walked to the cemetary."

"We would have come too if we'd known," Hikaru said just as softly.

"Don't shut us out, Haruhi," Kaoru voiced, sadly. "We want to be there for you."

"I'm sorry, I guess I didn't realize, it was so late when I went…"

"You know it doesn't matter to us what time of day it is, Haru. We'll be there. You just have to ask."

"He's right," Mori stated simply, suddenly behind Kaoru who jumped at the proximity.

"Yeah, I know. Sorry guys. Next time I get to feeling down, I'll be sure to call one of you."

"Call all of us, we'll be there. Right, guys?" Hikaru looked at the rest of the group, each nodding or making some noise of agreement.

"Okay, okay," she said with a small laugh. "I'll call all of you next time I go to visit mom, no matter what time it is." The group of six smiled at each other until they heard a shout from the other side of the room.

"HARUUUHIIIIII! When did you sneak in? You should have come to your daddy at once so he could give you all the hugs you deserve!"

"Not on your life, senpai," the brunette muttered.

"Don't worry," Hikaru said.

"We've got this," Kaoru followed up. Suddenly, the five boys were surrounding her on all sides, stopping Tamaki dead in his tracks.

"Not today, Tama-chan, Haru-chan's sleepy," Honey said, cheerfully from the front of the barricade. Mori, who towered over her from behind, nodded.

"I only wanted to give my beautiful daughter infinite hugs to let her know how much her daddy loves her," the taller blond pouted.

"What's the matter, Tono?" Kaoru antagonized beside him.

"You get tired of messing with mommy?" Hikaru taunted from her left.

"I'm not your daughter, senpai. And the others are right. I'm exhausted. If you need a playmate, I'm sure Karma would love to join in, wouldn't you?" She asked the red head on her right.

"You know I would. What do you say, senpai? You run," his eyes narrowed, "I tag." Tamaki started shaking.

"Y-you know w-what? S-s-suddenly, I'm n-not feeling s-s-so well." He turned around and bolted over the nearest couch, hiding behind it. Karma and the twins laughed at his expense, though Honey and Haruhi were by no means unaffected if their giggles were anything to go by.

"Thanks guys, I think he got the message that I'm not to be messed with today," Haruhi said with a smirk, as they all took their seats around the center of the room and waited on Kyouya to start the mysterious meeting.

"I'll bet you're all wondering why I decided to close the club today? _Tamaki get over here right now or I swear to you I will cancel the club for the rest of the_ _year._ "

"Eeep! Mommy how could you?!" The second year whimpered as he took his place beside his best friend. Kyouya didn't even cast him a glance. Just leaned forward, pinching his nose. Now that Haruhi was closer, she could see the draw in his features indicating he'd had about as little sleep as she, though for vastly different reasons.

"What I have to say does not leave the eight of us. The media has yet to be made aware of the situation and I'd like to keep it that way for the time being." He waited until he had some form of assertion from his friends.

"Kyouya, what's going on?" Tamaki asked, worriedly. He was calming down, realizing this was a more serious matter than he'd anticipated.

"My father has passed away Saturday night. Heart attack." He paused while the men and lady surrounding him reacted. When their expressions of sympathy settled into silence, he continued. "This means that I will be assuming the role of Ootori patriarch and control over all the companies associated with my family, on top of my daily school schedule and my own business ventures."

"Wasn't Saturday the day of that New Year's Party my dad went to at your place?" Tamaki asked, subdued. Kyouya nodded. "Weird, he didn't say anything to me about it."

"The event had ended by the time he was found. None of the guests knew."

"That's still a lot to take on, senpai. I know you're the Shadow King and for good reason, but are you sure you're going to be able to handle all of it?" Kaoru asked, his concern speaking for everyone.

"Of course. I am an Ootori. Failure is not an option. I will be completing the coursework for second year in advance and should finish soon, before beginning the third year work so that I might graduate early. That should take some of the load off."

"In the meantime," Karma offered, "I have a lot of budgeting experience being on my own. Maybe I can help you with the club's finances."

"Thank you, I'll take that into consideration."

"What does this mean for you and Haruhi then?" Hikaru asked, genuinely curious. "You two were only pretending to date so that you would be made the heir, right? I know the plan was to wait a little while after that before having a quiet break-up, but that's moot, now, isn't it?"

"We don't have to decide anything right now," Haruhi said, staring at the older twin incredulously. She wasn't the only one, either. A few of their friends had a similar 'not the time' look on their faces.

"No, he's right. There's no point in us keeping up the charade anymore. As of right now, we're both single again." She blinked at the abrupt dismissal.

"Alright, if that's what you want." For once, she couldn't tell how he felt. His glasses were glared over, hiding the grey eyes she was so adept at reading.

"How's that even going to work?" Karma asked. "You two have been 'Tokyo's Hottest Couple' for two months now, the last two weeks, especially, after that Christmas Party."

He's got a point, Kyo-chan," Honey interjected. "If you two 'break up' now, just before your father's funeral, the media is going to wonder why. You're harder to get to, so they'll go after Haru-chan."

"So be it. I'll just tell them I broke up with her because of my position. I can't make time for her on top of my other responsibilities as one of the youngest company heads in the country, but we are still close friends. I'll be seen as a martyr, she'll be seen as the tragic victim, the media will eat it up and we'll both be left alone. Now, I have a lot of things to accomplish before the funeral. I'll send you all the details once they've been finalized. Dismissed."

The raven-haired second year stood and left. He wouldn't let it be known to anyone how deeply it cut for her to comply so easily. He'd hoped after all this time she would put up _some_ resistance at least. All of those stolen moments together, the kisses they'd shared, didn't they mean anything to her? Didn't she know by now that he loved her? And now he was right back where he'd started.

Perhaps it was for the best. Kyouya still had his suspicions on whether or not she was involved in his father's death. He couldn't prove anything and it was only a nagging in the back of his mind, but there was _something_ that wouldn't leave him alone about it. He hated to think she was involved and didn't know what he would do if his suspicions were accurate.


	44. The Aftermath, Part Two

A/N: This is your trigger content warning. Do not read if bothered by violence or sexual assault.

* * *

The Aftermath, Part 2: Haruhi's Revalations

The others vacated the room shortly thereafter, with Haruhi and Karma being the last to exit. The two friends were silent, each wrapped up in their own little world, when a soft voice called out as they exited the school.

"Haru-chan?" They looked back to see Honey leaning against the pink brick wall, Mori nowhere to be found. The two first years sauntered up to him.

"What's up, Mitsu? Where's Mori-senpai?" Haruhi asked, yawning.

"He went on home without me. I was wondering if I could talk to you for a bit." This wasn't the typical happy, loli senpai they were used to seeing. Honey was serious about something.

"Yeah, sure. I'll see you later, Karma." She smiled at him. The red head shrugged his shoulders and walked off, leaving the brunette with the oldest host.

"So, what's on your mind, Mitsu?"

"Will you walk with me?" He asked, his light brown eyes regarding her carefully. She nodded and together they set off towards the maze.

"Senpai, you're starting to worry me. Is everything okay?" She asked as the pair entered the somehow lush foliage. She would never understand how this school kept the plants growing even in the dead of winter.

"You'd know that better than I would," he mumbled to himself.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" She heard him. She knew he knew she heard him. How could she not? It was dead silent in the maze surrounding them. Every rustle of leaves, every twittering bird could be heard loud and clear. Haruhi was beginning to grow nervous, though none would be able to tell. Did he suspect something? After all their careful precautions, was it possible they overlooked something the senior had picked up on?

"Do you like me, Haru-chan?" Honey asked, as seriously as she had ever seen him.

"Of course I do, Mitsu. Why wouldn't I?" The brunette was confused. Did he suspect her? Was he about to confess to her? Neither one would be good.

"Do you trust me?"

"I wouldn't have told you a state secret if I didn't. Mitsu what's going on?"

"Then why were you afraid earlier when I ran up to give you a hug like I always do? Don't try to deny it, Haru-chan. I saw it. For just a moment, you were scared of me. Why?" His voice stayed the same serious tone. His eyes were mixed with hurt and confusion. They stopped walking.

 _'Damnit, why does he have to be so observant? I can't tell him the truth. I don't want to lie to him either.'_ Aloud, she replied, "well, it's like the twins said. I'm so tired right now, the slightest thing could knock me over."

He was shaking his head before she'd even finished and he looked…disappointed. "I might have bought that excuse before Takashi told me what he saw. Take off your ribbon and lower your collar."

"Senpai?" Haruhi clutched the red string tightly. _'How the hell did he know about that?!'_

"Please, if you trust me as much as you say you do, just do as I ask." His light brown eyes, usually so full of joy, were almost pained, desperate for her to comply.

She bit her lip and looked around needlessly. They were alone. They had been since Karma had left them. There weren't even footsteps or voices in the distance. Shuffling her feet, weighing her options, she sighed and sat her bag down before slowly pulling the string from its perfect little bow and revealing the dark, finger-shaped bruises that wrapped around her pale neck. Honey's eyes went wide and he gasped quietly. His hand reached up to touch the mottled skin but he pulled it back at the last second.

"How?" He whispered, appalled. Mori had told him about the slight discoloration he had had seen standing behind the girl and they'd suspected the bruising but neither would have thought it'd be anything that bad. Anger flooded him even as he hurt for his friend. Anger at her for hiding it. Rage at whomever dared to lay a hand on her.

She looked away. "I was attacked," she replied quietly. A whole truth. "But I'll be fine, it's just some bruising," she quickly reassured. A lie. Her friend didn't look convinced.

"Who?" She could see the flames of his fury lashing out in his large, hardened eyes.

"I…don't know," she responded, perplexed, as she refastened the collar. It was sort of a truth. The monster who attacked her was certainly not who she'd met with before.

"Cut the bullshit, Haruhi," Honey snapped. "Who did this to you?" She winced at his tone and use of her whole name. He wasn't going to let it go easily. Not when the protection of his friend was on the line. She knew that. But what should she tell him? What _could_ she tell him?

"I can't say." Her shoulders slumped despondently. "Government secret." She watched his eyes widen in realization.

"You completed your mission," he whispered. She nodded. "That's why you're so tired today." She nodded again. A moment's pause. "Kyo-chan's father?" He breathed.

At this, she shook her head. "Coincidence. I was at the cemetery visiting mom when that happened, remember?" She knew she'd made the right decision to lie when she saw the relief flood his eyes and he let out the short breath he'd held. "Do you see me any differently, senpai? Knowing I've killed someone?" Was he going to desert her now? If he did, the others would start to follow and she'd be alone again.

"From the looks of it, if you hadn't, he would have. Is this going to be your job from now on? Contract killing for the government?" There was no emotion in his voice and his eyes were guarded.

"You didn't answer my question." When he remained silent, she continued. "I'm…undecided. The target I took down, he was involved in a lot of nasty stuff and would have been able to get out of any trial imaginable had my superiors attempted legal action. I've got a lot of healing to do before I take up a blade again, but I was thinking about only taking it up part time for targets like that. Those who deserve justice but would walk before even going to court. I've been given power, I can use that power to protect others."

"By killing some." She nodded. Honey sighed heavily. "As a martial artist who fights only in self-defense or competition, I can't say I agree with you." She nodded, warily. The blond took her hand in his and smiled. "But as your friend, I understand your reasons and I will still support you."

The relief that washed over her at not losing one of her closest friends caused her to throw her arms around the shorter man, accidentally tackling him to the ground. His laughter was quickly overtaken by concern as she yelped and jumped away from him, curling into herself.

"That was a mistake," Haruhi groaned. She closed her eyes, hissing against the pain radiating through her chest. "Sorry, senpai. You okay?"

He waved off her concern. "So that's why you were scared earlier. Because your neck isn't the only place you're injured, is it? Hugging people hurts you too." Haruhi nodded, popping a pill into her mouth and swallowing it dry. She sat back against the bushes and closed her eyes, breathing slowly through the throbbing ache.

"I'll be fine in a minute or so." She felt him take her hand and squeeze it, an invitation she gladly returned. "You sure you don't need to get home?" She asked through gritted teeth. He shook his head and they fell into a companionable silence. The longest she'd ever experienced with the short senior. "Thanks, senpai. I think I'm good now."

"Anytime, Haru-chan. You're one of my closest friends. That's why I was so worried when I thought you were scared of me and when Takashi told me about the bruise on your neck."

"You can't tell him!" She interrupted quickly.

He held up his hands in surrender. "I won't, I promise. I gave you my word that anything you told me in confidence wouldn't be repeated. Nothing's changed." There was a pause as she relaxed and the panic in her eyes left. "No one knows, do they?"

She leaned her head back against the hedge. "I'm sure the doctors and nurses who fixed me up have figured it out and Karma and Nagisa know I was messed up pretty bad, hell they had to listen to it. But no, I haven't told anyone the specifics. I'd rather keep it that way and move on."

"I don't think you should do that, Haru-chan." She glanced over at him but he wasn't looking at her. His face was pointed towards the sky. "I think you should talk to someone, even if it isn't me. I think you'd feel a lot better if you did."

"Maybe. I'll think about it."

"Good. I'll help keep Tama-chan away from you while you heal. And one more thing?" He waited until she looked at him before smiling. "Stop calling me 'senpai'. To you, it's Mitsu."

"Okay," Haruhi giggled, feeling lighter than she had in days. Her friend was still by her side. Even knowing she was a killer and was going to keep killing, he stuck by her and would keep her secrets, even offered to help protect her. It felt good. Maybe she should open up to him about some other things. Before she could follow that train of thought, he stood up and held out his hand.

"Come on, Haru-chan. Let's go get some cake. You still look like you could use some cheering up before we go home."

The brunette smiled, allowing him to pull her to her feet. "Yeah, sure. That sounds nice."

On the way to his favorite bakery, she thought about Karma. Would he continue to stand by her if she kept on killing for Karasama? He hadn't given her a clear indication one way or the other when she was in the hospital. He'd just acted surprised. She loved him but if he didn't support her, she had to let him go. If she told him what happened in that room that night, would that sway him one way or the other? What if she told him why she wanted to continue killing part time? Would he then understand as Professor Bitch seemed to? How upset would he be if he ever learned-

"Come on, Haru-chan! It's cake time!" Honey exclaimed excitedly as the limo pulled up to the shop. She grinned and followed, relieved the loli-boy had come back. He was serious when needed and she appreciated that, but it was always a little bit unsettling.

"You sure you don't want a ride home?" the senior asked an hour later as they exited the store.

"Yeah, I'm just gonna walk home. It's not far. I'll see you tomorrow, Mitsu."

"Kay, see you then!"

She watched him bound back into the limo before setting off down the sidewalk. Her dad had eagerly taken her suggestion to spend another week with Misuzu, which meant she was in no great hurry to be home and could stroll at her leisure. This gave her plenty of time to think about everything Honey had said to her in the maze and everything she had been thinking about before they'd reached the bakery. She had a lot of thinking to do. So many questions swirled in her mind that before she even began to take notice, she was in front of a familiar apartment door that was decidedly not hers. Looking around, she took a deep breath and knocked.

"Hey, can we talk?" She asked, foregoing any attempt at civilities as soon as the door opened.

"Yeah, of course. Come on in, I'll make you some tea." Haruhi followed the red head inside, at once more relieved and more worried.

Across town, the coroner's voice echoed in a certain raven-haired second year's ear. _"I'm sorry son, but I can't find what isn't there and believe me, with what you're payin', if there was somethin' to find, I wouldn' keep it from you. It's as clean a heart attack as any I've ever seen."_

 _'That's just it,'_ he thought, frustrated. _'It's too clean.'_

It had been a month since Haruhi and her three friends had killed the most powerful businessman Japan had ever seen. A month since Kyouya became the new head of the Ootori zaibatsu and everything associated with that role. The Hosts watched as he slowly deteriorated under the amount of work he suddenly had to take on. He was exhausted from meetings, conferences, travels, schoolwork and the Host Club to boot, though Karma did take over the budgeting and Tamaki was suddenly too scared to go overboard like he had when Kyouya held the position.

Haruhi was the only one who could see the well-masked horror that indicated he was finding out what all his father was involved in and struggling to fix it. When February rolled around, the Hosts had decided to take a break and have a sleepover at Honey's mansion. It took some persuading but eventually Kyouya gave in and allowed his work to be put away for one weekend. It was Haruhi who convinced him with her cool logic and unusual enthusiasm for the idea. In truth, she was as worried about him as the rest and hoped to find some time to get him to open up to her.

So it was that the eight Hosts were gathered in the Honinozuka dining room on Friday evening in the middle of a blustery February. They were in the middle of their dinner when it happened. The room shook with the force of thunder that echoed throughout the near empty mansion. A high-pitched yelp and clattering silverware were all the boys needed to know their princess was now huddled under the table living her worst nightmare. No one but Karma really knew why she was so terrified of them. The others hadn't had the heart to ask, not wanting to make it worse. If she wanted to tell them, she would. Until then, they'd continue to comfort her as best they could.

"Quick, Takashi, grab Haru-chan. The rest of you, follow me to the safe room." Honey commanded, all traces of the loli boy gone. He led the group through the twisting hallways until they arrived at a door that was thicker than the others. Twisting the knob, he opened it and flicked on the light, revealing a relatively plain-looking room that had one narrow line of windows, just wide enough to see the weather outside but not enough to light the entire room. The storm could not be heard.

"Tama-chan, Hika-chan, Kao-chan, grab blankets from the closet and pillows from the couches. Make a fort. Kyo-chan, go to the kitchens and order snacks and drinks to be brought in here, we may be here a while. I checked the weather during club time and it had said scattered storms for tonight but a clear weekend. I was hoping they wouldn't start until later. Karma-chan, get Haru-chan's ipod from her room. Hurry."

The boys set about their assigned tasks. Karma was back just as Mori had walked in, carrying the frightened girl. The gentle giant sat in front of a cushionless couch still cradling her and accepted the music player. Carefully nudging her hands away from her ears, he inserted the buds and increased the volume. Once the other three had finished the fort to their satisfaction, they all crawled in and waited on the last Host Club member to arrive. About fifteen minutes passed before Kyouya finally came back but he was pushing a cart that was loaded down with junk foods of all kinds. The twins, who were closest to the fort entrance, helped unload the cart, placing the snacks in the middle of the group.

It was about this time that Haruhi stopped trembling and could look up at her current savior in gratitude before taking stock of her surroundings. She remembered being in the dining room with her boys and diving under the table, feeling a hand on her shoulder trying to coax her out, she recalled clinging desperately to the nearest sturdy thing (which just happened to be the table leg) but she couldn't figure out how she got from there to here. Where was here? Slowly, she reached up with shaking hands and removed the headphones. She didn't hear anything except the rustlings of the boys around her.

"I-is it over?" She asked timidly, still curled up in Mori's lap. The boys' faces flashed with varying degrees of pity and concern. They hated hearing their usually strong, bold princess sound so lost, scared, and shy.

"Sorry, Haru, but it's probably going to last off and on all night." Karma replied.

"Then why-?" She couldn't understand the reason for the silence.

"Do you like it, Haru-chan? I had it made just for you in case you ever came over and it stormed. This room is completely soundproof and there's only a small window to check to see if the storm's gone." Honey's cute, bubbly personality had returned and it helped to calm her down even more.

"You did?" She gasped, quietly.

"Well, yeah," Hikaru stated, as if it was obvious.

"We all have one." Kaoru continued, settling down next to his brother after the cart had finally been emptied. She looked at her 'ex-boyfriend' who was just entering the fort.

"Yes, even me." He took his place between Tamaki and Honey.

Her eyes shimmered with grateful tears as she smiled softly at them. "You guys didn't have to do that. But thank you."

"Alright, alright, enough with the tears. We've got an awesome fort," Hikaru said.

"All this food," his brother picked up.

" **Let's have some fun.** " They finished together. The others chuckled or giggled at their antics, and Haruhi started to feel like she could withstand a storm for the first time in over a decade.

"So, what do we want to play?" Tamaki asked.

"How about truth or dare? It can be limited to just this room." Karma replied, already picturing the dares he could set them up for.

" **Oh we're in**." The twins' eyes gleamed at the possibilities.

"That sounds fun, doesn't it, Takashi?" Honey pipped up. He looked at the girl in his lap before announcing the affirmative.

"Really, Mori? You too?" She asked, surprised he would go for it. When he nodded, she looked to the rest of them and smirked. "Could be fun." With that, they knew no one would refuse the game.

"Yay! I'll go first," Tamaki cheered. "Honey-senpai, truth or dare?"

Honey paused, debating. "Truth."

"What is the most embarrassing nickname you've ever been given?" Honey blanched before turning bright red. The others stared at him wide-eyed. What could possibly have caused a reaction like _that_?!

"My mother still calls me 'Honey bun'." He muttered, looking down at the floor.

"Aww, Mitsu, that's nothing to be embarrassed about, it's cute." Haruhi said, glaring at the twins who looked like they were about to start laughing. He glanced at her.

"Really?" He asked.

"Yeah, you should hear some of the things my dad calls me. Believe me, 'Honey bun' doesn't even come close to embarrassing."

"Thanks, Haru-chan. Alright, Kyo-chan, truth or dare?"

"Truth. Do you honestly believe I'd trust any of you to give me a dare?"

"If you only had to eat one food for the rest of your life, what would you choose?" Honey asked, taking another snack. Kyouya thought about that for a moment.

"Salad."

"Interesting choice, senpai. Why?" Hikaru asked.

"Salad can be found in a variety of ways. Pasta salad, potato salad, regular leafy salad, chicken salad, tuna salad, fruit salad. For that matter, who's to say I can't have a sushi salad or a steak salad?" He finished his explanation by taking a bite out of his pocky as the others stared at him, varying degrees of awe and fear. "What?"

"Nothing, senpai. It's just, the way you manipulate the circumstances to get what you want is scary." Kyouya only smirked before turning to Kaoru.

"Truth or dare?" The younger twin grinned mischievously.

"Dare. Do your worst, Shadow King."

"I think you just signed your own death warrant, Kao-chan." Honey said as the others gasped and Kyouya started chuckling softly. Tamaki leaned away from his best friend nervously.

"Give your phone to Haruhi and allow her to browse through it for two minutes. Haruhi you may look at whatever you wish, texts, calls, search history, but you are not allowed to alter any information." Kaoru paled but with a shaky hand, released his phone to the girl. Haruhi didn't exactly want to be included in this dare but she wasn't about to back out of it. Information was power. She slid off Mori's lap and laid down so that only she could view the phone.

"Your time starts now." Kyouya said as he set the stopwatch. They watched as Haruhi's fingers flew across the screen like an expert. They watched as her eyes widened, as her cheeks flushed, as Kaoru started sweating, when she bit her lip he responded with a groan. She giggled and Kaoru sighed heavily. He knew the contents of his phone were safe with her, he just didn't want her to know. The timer went off, signifying the end of the dare and he wiped his brow as she locked his screen and handed the phone back.

"Wow, Kaoru, that was, uh, that was interesting." She said, sitting up, keeping her spot on the floor between Mori and Karma.

"Yeah, whatever. Alright, Mori-senpai. Truth or Dare."

"Dare." The younger twin grinned maliciously.

"Switch clothes with Haruhi." Everyone turned their heads to take stock of what she was wearing: a light pink cashmere sweater over a white tee-shirt and a pair of black skinny jeans. Karma, Hikaru, and Tamaki started laughing, Kyouya smirked. Honey started giggling.

"Where are we supposed to change?" Haruhi asked.

"You can change in the bathroom, Mori-senpai can change in the room outside the fort. When you're both done, we'll take a picture." Kaoru suggested. She shrugged and carefully made her way across the pile of food and drinks to the fort entrance. Crawling out of it, she nervously glanced at the window only to see it still raining. Bolting for the bathroom, she shut the door behind her and started undressing before Mori and the others even managed to leave the fort.

"Bet Mori won't be able to get Haru's jeans past his calves," she heard Karma say. She giggled as she narrowly opened the door to drop her clothes outside it.

"Ha! I don't even think that sweater is going to come down to his belly button!" Hikaru stated. There was a knock on the bathroom door and when she opened it up, someone had slipped Mori's clothes in to her. They were huge!

His black shirt came down to her knees and she had to fold the sleeves up three times to use her hands. Trying to get his long-legged jeans on, she tripped and landed heavily.

"You okay in there, Haurhi?" Tamaki asked, concerned. Out came a muffled "yeah, 'm fine". Once she had righted herself, she quickly realized the pants were not going to work no matter how she did this. So, she used Mori's belt to cinch the shirt a bit around her waist, having to loop the buckle into the very last hole. ' _Better but could still use some improvement._ ' She looked around and spotted some black hair ties. _'Mitsu really did think of everything, didn't he?'_ She tied her shoulder-length hair on the side of her head. Now, instead of a small child in grown up clothes, it looked more like a stylized dress. Nodding to herself, she knocked on the door to see if Mori was ready.

"As ready as he can get, come on out, Haruhi." She opened the door to quite a sight. Mori was standing off to the side, trying to stay out of the spotlight, impossible considering the circumstances. Hikaru was right, her sweater didn't even reach his midsection. It barely covered his pectorals. The sleeves _almost_ reached his elbows. But the real sight was his attempt to put on her skinny jeans. The waistband had gone no higher than his knees, and his toes peeped out of the hems. He tried to hide his personal area with his hands but nearly ripped the sweater in the process. So instead was forced to display his green boxers to the room. The remaining boys were suffering varying degrees of hilarity. The twins and Honey were on the floor, Tamaki was freaking about how his daughter should never see so much of a male. Karma and Kyouya were both struggling not to lose it. Haruhi cleared her throat to get their attention off their humiliated senpai.

Their focus was captivated. There she was, in Mori's shirt, her thin, bare legs poking through the bottom, waist defined by his belt, the sleeves rolled up casually, her dark hair swept to the side and held there in a plait, eyes sparkling in amusement.

"Aww, Haruhi, no fair," Hikaru whined.

"How can we poke fun at you for wearing Mori-senpai's clothes," the dare instigator continued.

" **When you pull it off so well.** " They finished together, circling her.

"You know brother, this is actually a good look."

"I was thinking the same thing, Hika."

"Kind of a 'stayed over with the boyfriend' look without going into 'walk of shame' territory. We could make a whole line out of this."

"If you two are done acting like vultures, can we get the pictures you wanted so I can get dressed again. We're still playing a game, remember?" Haruhi grumbled. Five minutes later, she walked back out in her normal clothes. The sweater was a bit stretched out but she wore it off one shoulder and it looked deliberate. The boys had taken down the fort and sat her in front of the window, facing away from it. "Mori, your turn." She smiled at him.

"Karma. Truth or Dare."

"Dare. Bring it on, big guy."

"Sell Kyouya a piece of garbage."

"Good one, Mori-senpai."

"Yeah, no way Kyo-chan would go for that."

"Nice, Mori."

"Haru, do you have any lipstick on you?" Karma asked.

"We do." Hikaru interjected, tossing a tube to the red-head.

"Thanks." He walked up to Haruhi and carefully applied the makeup. Grabbing a napkin, he asked her to blot her lips. The others watched intensely and confused as he then walked up to Kyouya, used napkin in hand. "Got a proposition for you, senpai. Five hundred yen and this used napkin is yours."

"While I admire your straightforward approach, surely you did not think it would be that easy. Why on earth would I want a napkin Haruhi has wiped her mouth on?" He was curious as to where this was going.

"Because you can sell it for so much more on the Host Club website. Imagine how many guests would want an artifact like this; not only does it have the exact imprint of her lips in such a fetching color, but one spritz of cherry blossom perfume, and it would smell like her too. The girls and guys would pay a hefty sum for such an intimate item. Or I could always burn it and all that profit will be lost forever." He pulled a lighter from his pocket and held the flame ever closer to the paper.

"Damn it, here," Kyouya said, resigned and digging in his wallet. The boy made a compelling, logical argument and followed it up with a threat to destroy the item. He hated how well those two first years knew him.

"Wow, Karma, I didn't think you had it in you. Nice job." Tamaki complimented. The twins were clapping and Mori tipped his head in respect. Honey was laughing at the defeated look on Kyouya's face.

"Thank you, thank you, please, hold your applause, thank you."

"You're such a cocky bastard." Haruhi said, giggling. "Now would you all stop using me as part of your dares?"

"Well, then, I guess it's a good thing it's your turn, my dear." He said, leering at her. ' _Oh no,'_ she thought. "Truth or dare, Haru?"

"Uh…truth?"

"Tell us something that no one else in this room knows. Not even me." Her blood ran cold.

"I-I-I mean dare." She said, shakily. No way was she about to disclose that information. She could only think of one thing Karma didn't know. That was not something she was about to tell any of her boys. It was over, they didn't need to know. No one ever needed to know.

"Alright, I _dare_ you to tell us something about you that even I don't know."

The lights went out and there was a sudden flash of lightning from the small window. She screamed, crouching into a ball as the others panicked, trying to rush for her. Another flash as Kaoru was just reaching down cast his face in harsh shadows. Her vision flickered and she was transported, not to that sterile, white room, or even the trap Raiden had set for her, but all the way back to that old alleyway of her darkest nightmares. She cried out in horror and darted backwards only to hit someone behind her, someone who grabbed her and held her tight. She bucked and fought and pleaded to be let go, all the while hyperventilating, tears streaming down her face. She knew none of what was going on around her, trapped inside her own mind as she was.

The lights came back as the generator kicked on and the boys took stock of their inconsolable princess, held by Mori who was trying his best to calm her down. Thrashing, panting, eyes filled with undiluted horror and so far from where she was, begging to be set free, desperately calling for her mother of all people. They huddled close to the pair, not knowing what to do until Kyouya drew back his hand and brought it down hard across her cheek. Outrage filled the group and Honey tackled him, ready to beat the black-haired teen senseless.

"What the hell was that for?!" Tamaki yelled.

"Shock. Look." They turned their heads to Mori and the distressed girl, only to see that she was no longer flailing, no longer seeking freedom. She was still panting hard, but her eyes were with them now and her head was darting around the room as she finally allowed the kendo champion to soothe her.

They started approaching the two slowly, each one muttering quiet words of peace and safety. They placed themselves around her so that in some way, they were touching her. Honey crawled in her lap, Karma kneeled by her right and started wiping her eyes, the twins rested their hands on her knees in front of her, Tamaki sat to her left and mirrored Karma's ministrations. Kyouya crawled behind his best friend and stroked her hair.

"Haru, listen, you're okay. You're safe." Karma whispered.

"Yeah, we won't let anything," the younger twin said.

"Or anyone hurt you." His brother finished.

"Relax, slow your breathing…there's a good girl," murmured Kyouya. As her panting eased, the soft-spoken words of comfort filled her ears and she was able to calm herself even further.

"Thanks guys. I'm sorry." She muttered.

"Shhh, shh, shh, there's nothing to be sorry about, Haru-chan."

"Haruhi, why did you act like that?" Tamaki asked, quietly. "We've all been with you through storms and you've never been this violent before."

"Uh…boss, is now really the time?" Hikaru asked.

"No, he's right. You guys deserve to know." She breathed in deeply, steeling herself for the tale she was about to tell. This was not what she had planned. She had planned to never tell them, or anyone else for that matter. The others backed up and sat themselves in a tight circle. She climbed down from her senpai's lap with a quiet 'thank you' and took her place next to him. "After all you've done for me, it's long-past time I told you guys why I'm so scared of thunderstorms. And what do you know, it fulfills my dare anyway." She laughed humourlessly. She should have known nothing ever went to plan when it came to the Host Club.

"You don't have to do this, Haruhi. We're alright without knowing if you don't want to talk about it," Kyouya reassured her, reaching around Tamaki to pat her knee. She gave him a soft smile in return. After _that_ display? He was lying through his teeth and they both knew it.

"How does it fulfill your dare when I already know the reason behind your fear?"

"Because, Karma, you don't know everything. Just know, if any of this gets back to my dad, I will never forgive the person who spoke of it." She warned, eyes filled with sorrow, pain, despair. Her friends never wanted to see that look on her face again but Karma realized he had seen that look twice before. In front of a Kyoto alleyway, and in a hospital. To all of them, it was even worse than the unbridled terror she had just expressed. She matched their stares individually as she contemplated how to begin. Once she peered into Tamaki's amethyst eyes, the words came easier. As soon as she started, Haruhi became completely lost in her story, no longer seeing her surroundings. All that was in front of her was her tale and the words she weaved it with: the darkest and most heavily guarded secret of her heart.

"Once upon a time, there lived a small family of three. The young girl, her mother, and her father. The girl's mother had a knack for filling the king's dungeons with criminals. The girl's father oversaw the local tavern. The parents doted on the girl and for a time, they were all happy. Little did they know, a few of the bad people the girl's mother had put away escaped their prison with one thing on their minds: revenge.

"And so it was, one cloudy evening, the girl and her mother were skipping along to the marketplace, singing tunelessly but enjoying their time all the same when someone captured the girl and brought her into a damp alleyway. The girl's mother was quick to follow, but it had been a trap. Her mother was grabbed from behind by another man. The girl and the mother cried out for each other as the mother pleaded with the men not to harm the girl, to let the girl go. The men only laughed in her face before throwing the two on the ground and pinning them. At once, the skies above tore open and thunder drowned out their cries of pain and calls for help. Both were quickly silenced by the men above them.

"'Don't you remember us?' One of the men asked the mother, who only whimpered in response. 'You are the bitch who sent us to prison, after all and you don't even have the courtesy to remember?' 'What are we going to do about that, eh?' 'I say we make her watch while I play with this sweet little tart.' The man holding the girl sneered. 'No! Please don't!' The mother cried as she thrashed, rain washing her tears away as soon as they fell. 'She didn't do anything to you! She doesn't deserve this! Let her go!' 'Mommy!' The little girl screamed, her little feet kicking as wildly as they could, as she saw her mother slapped hard by the man holding the older woman down. 'You're in no position to be making any demands.' He shouted, enraged. 'Listen here you little brat,' said the man still easily holding the young girl, 'you're gonna stop kicking those pretty little legs of yours before I break 'em. Understand?'

"The girl's mother screamed, drowned out by the thunder above them. The girl looked over to see the man forcing himself into her mother and thrusting hard. Her mother's piercing cry for the girl to look away was a sound that would haunt her forever. Lightning flashed and the girl's own tiny body was wracked with pain the likes of which she had never known. Her lower half felt like it was going to split in two and her throat burned with the force of her shriek. As she reached out to try and clasp her mother's hand, seeking what little comfort she could find, her vision faded to black. Her tiny body had given out, unable to withstand the agony.

"When she awoke, she did so, panicking, flailing her limbs and breathing heavily. She only calmed when she felt a familiar hand caress her forehead. Looking around, the girl realized she was in an infirmary. The girl's father sat next to her and was the one comforting her. He looked distraught. The girl had never seen such exhaustion or anguish destroy her father's usually gentle face. 'Baby please calm down,' the girl's father begged. 'I know, you're safe now, I promise.' 'Where's mommy? Is she alright? What happened to us?' The anguish on her father's face only intensified and the girl's blood ran cold. 'Mommy won't be around anymore, baby. She died. What those men did to you two killed her.' The girl didn't fully understand. 'So, I won't get to see mommy anymore?' 'No baby. Neither of us will. Not for a long time.'

"As time went on, the girl was released and the two remaining family members attended the funeral. The girl's father kept telling everyone her mother was very sick. Sick for a very long time. He told the girl it was easier for people to hear than what really happened. Eventually, the girl's father had told the lie so many times that he believed it himself and refused to think differently. But she knew what happened and it only confused her more. Was it something to be ashamed of? Was she somehow wrong now? It didn't make sense but the girl kept her mouth shut. Her father threw himself into work and the girl threw herself into chores. She was plagued by constant nightmares of that day for a long time but she could never bring herself to say anything because when she did, the girl's father would laugh at her, tell her it was just her imagination, and then go to the tavern where he worked and get black out drunk.

"For many years, this quiet life was all the poor girl knew. The nightmares dwindled eventually and she could almost bare her solemn existence except during a thunderstorm. Every time the heavens thundered and flashed around her, she would be transported right back to that dark alleyway, hopeless and helpless and terrified. She had no one to talk to, so she suffered in silence. Her grades kept slipping, her father kept drinking, she fell deeper into depression, and eventually, she was placed in a class of the lowest students in her school. The start of her ninth year in school, she was introduced to a new teacher. This teacher was different. He talked to her and encouraged her to open up to him. When she finally did, the metaphorical dam crumbled and she told him everything.

"From that day on, the girl felt lighter than she had in almost a decade. He taught her how to fight, how to be strong, he braided her hair the way her mother used to. The teacher became like a mother and a father, guiding her, nurturing her, essentially saving the girl from herself. She flourished and thrived under the teacher's tutelage. The girl's grades began to rise and she made friends for the first time in nine years. Her friends made her even stronger and taught her even more. After a short while, her teacher introduced her to another woman who had been through similar circumstances. But where the girl let her situation overwhelm her, this woman used it to increase her abilities. The two had a lot to talk about and the girl looked up to the woman as a role model, despite the woman's hard outer shell. The girl became happy. Happier than she could remember.

"But that happiness only lasted a year as tragedy struck the girl yet again. The teacher was killed. The teacher left her too. The teacher who had been more of a parent to her than the girl's drunken father was no longer there for her to talk to, to listen to. The nightmares had returned, only to be accompanied by new terrors of the dark. She kept in contact with her friends upon their graduation but it wasn't the same. The girl retreated into herself once more and became a mere ghost of the person she had been, robotically moving through the motions of each day.

"One day, her father, drunk again, decided he could no longer stand to look at her because all he saw was her mother. He pulled her hair taut and cut it halfway through before he finally passed out. In a rare fit of emotional outburst, the girl took the kitchen shears he'd used and hacked at the rest of her long, brown locks until she couldn't see her teacher or her mother combing through the brunette waves anymore.

"The girl also decided she no longer wanted to look at herself, or her father, or the shrine of her mother so the girl picked up a pair of glasses that belonged to her grandfather and put them on. Her vision became blurry as she'd so desired, but the headaches came on strong. The girl chose the glasses. Thus, she entered her new high school, an elite place like the school her mother had gone to.

"The girl had only wanted to disappear into the background and keep her nose buried in her books. That was close to what her teacher would have wanted anyway. But things don't always turn out in the girl's favor. Two days into the new year, the girl found herself outside a music room after having searched the four libraries for a quiet corner. Upon entering the room, she discovered a group of boys. The girl froze as her old fears engulfed her once more. She had kept herself away from boys, thinking they were all like those men before. The girl never wanted to be alone with any boy and these ones were no different.

"She tried to escape but the tall blonde one wouldn't allow it. His flowery words did little to hide the fact that he was trapping her. The girl began to panic and cried out when the short blonde threw himself at her back. The shorter black-haired boy was introducing them and when he reached the tall black-haired boy in the back, the girl was nearly paralyzed. That one looked as tall as the man that held her down and destroyed her innocence so violently. The tall blonde was in front of her once more and hovered over her, stepping ever closer even as the girl tried to back up. She was petrified. Had she been right all along? Were these tall men going to do the same thing as the men before? The girl couldn't think, couldn't remember any of the training she had learned, when she felt herself back into something. In a fleeting moment, she was kneeling in front of a shattered vase while the boys behind her talked amongst themselves about her paying them back for it. What were they going to do? They were princes. They could do whatever they wanted. The girl was a peasant in debt to them. Would they do the same thing those other men had done to her and her mother? The girl wasn't so sure she would survive this time around.

"But no, they only made her their servant exclusively. She remained apprehensive, though, flinching when they got too close, panicking if they moved too quickly. She kept her distance far from the tallest prince until she realized that he only ever approached her if she beckoned him first, even if the shortest prince was around her. It took a long time before the girl started to relax around these princes. But eventually she did grow comfortable enough to smile more, to laugh a little harder. They chipped at her shell bit by bit until she was nearly herself again. Nearly. There was still a lot the girl was unsure about letting them know. But the princes all had their own secrets so why couldn't she? The girl had told the princes and all their courtiers that her mother was very sick and passed away, the same old story that had been ingrained in her to tell since childhood. It was easier to hear than the truth.

"She walled up her heart so that no matter what the princes did, none of them could ever truly pierce it, though one of them came close, really close. She backed away the moment she could. The girl had learned the hard way that letting someone in meant nothing but being hurt, broken, mangled. So, she kept her princes out. As much as she wanted to let them in, she was afraid. Afraid they would turn on her and become those men from long ago or disappear like her mother and her teacher. It became an unspoken agreement between the princes that the girl was romantically off limits. That none of them would try _too_ hard to win her heart though they all wanted to. They would not ruin their own friendships simply because they had all fallen for the same girl.

"That didn't stop the princes from being there. They became her closest friends, each one wanting to be the one who pierced through that last barricade but none able to do so. The girl found she could fall for each of her new friends if she allowed herself to but was still afraid. Her old fears were still prevalent but now there was a new fear: that if she chose one over the others, everyone she did not choose would turn away from her. Unlike the girl's mother and the girl's teacher, the princes would leave her because they wanted to. And they would leave the one she chose as well. The prince who had gotten too close later assured her they wouldn't, that they loved her too much, but she left nothing to chance. She wouldn't break up the band of friends she had gained, so she never allowed herself to give in to their charms and they all stayed her closest friends.

"Months passed and one day, a ghost of her past barreled back into her life in the guise of her best friend, a peasant boy from her old class. She had told this boy almost everything about her and vice versa. They had shared a lot of experiences together and he became her rock, her main source of solace, before he left her to go to a different school when they graduated. Throughout the following eight months while the girl grew accustomed to the princes, the two best friends still wrote one another but it was never the same. She could pretend all was well in a letter. He could pretend not to notice her empty words. His cocky, nonchalant personality and intelligence allowed him to fit right in with the group of princes and the girl was at the happiest point in her life.

"For once, everything was going better than it had ever been. That made the girl worry though. In the back of her mind, the girl stressed over what was going to go wrong. That was all she knew: she was happy, something went wrong and someone important to her was suddenly gone, she was left tormented by nightmares and alone. That was all her life was. This time however, she had seven someones who could go. Would there ever be a happily ever after for the girl who was destroyed so young or was the girl destined to spend her life looking over her shoulder, always fearing what would come next? She just didn't know."

Haruhi's story ended softly and she noticed for the first time that her eyes were pouring two steady streams of tears down her cheeks, though her voice had never wavered. When they had started, she had no idea, having been so caught up in the memories she had walled deep within her mind. She hadn't wanted to tell them anything, let alone everything, but as with Koro-sensei, once she'd started, the dam broke. The room was silent, each of the seven boys around her staring at her transfixed. Suddenly, the silence and the fresh memories felt suffocating. She had to get out. No matter what the weather was doing, it couldn't be near as bad as the choking feeling she had.

"Excuse me," she said quietly, standing up.


	45. The Aftermath, Part Three

A/N: First of all, I want to heartily thank everyone who has stuck with me all this time from the bottom of my heart. I cannot tell you how much a truly appreciate and love your support. As this piece finally draws to a close, with one more epilogue chapter after this, at almost exactly three years in the making, I want to give two specific shout-outs to my most avid readers: the first to DarkSideOfWonderland, without whom this piece wouldn't even exist. Your story, Haruhi's Secret, was the source of inspiration for this first ever fanfic of mine and I genuinely hope I have done the re-telling justice in your eyes. The second, to rinxlenfan4ever. Your consistent reviews and messages were a boon to my spouts of writer's block. You will never know how much I lived for your reviews sometimes and I don't think I would have been able to complete this without your support, at least not as well or as efficiently. Your love for this story was just as much an inspiration as DarkSide's original story. Thank you both, and thank you to everyone who've taken the time out of your busy schedules to allow my work to entertain you even for a little while.

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The Aftermath, Part Three: Reasons and Resolutions

She had left the room, shutting the door behind her before anyone even had the ability to try and stop her. She raced through the hallways, grateful none of them had windows. She was starting to regret ever saying anything at all. Kyouya had told her she didn't have to. She had said they deserved to know. Did they? Haruhi opened the door, only to have it wrenched from her hands by the wind. The storm outside was as violent as the one in her mind, though mercifully, it seemed as if the thunder and lightning had passed. How were things going to change, now that they knew everything she had been hiding from them? Now that she had few more secrets from some of them and one, none at all. She fought the door to get it shut again and raced for the windowless dojo. The cold rain quickly soaked through her clothes, her hair plastered to her head and face.

Once Haruhi entered the training area, she peeled off her soggy clothes and house shoes and donned a training gi. Would they continue to support her? She punched the nearest practice dummy. Knowing what she felt about them, would they try harder to win her heart? She backflipped to a target across the large room, landing on its shoulders and breaking its neck. They each had their own battles to work through but what did they know, really? They could never relate to her. They could sympathize, say they were sorry for what she went through, but they could never truly understand her pain, her isolation, her depression, the constant feeling of shame and wrongness she grew up with. None of them would ever be afraid to love. She would have been better off taking Kyouya up on his offer and keeping her mouth shut. She angrily kicked the shoulder of a third dummy and growled in frustration when the arm snapped off the mannequin.

It was so odd, the way she cried while telling this story without sobbing uncontrollably, when she couldn't do the same as she told Kyouya and Karma about Raiden or Karma and Nagisa about Yoshio. Why was that? Why could she talk about those hidden horrors so easily? Was she becoming desensitized to the traumatic life she lead? Her fists laid into the large punching bag. Was it because she told it in third person? In a way that separated her from the events? Was it difficult with Raiden because it was still so fresh when she'd tried to talk about it? How had she been able to talk about her time with Koro-sensei but without giving anything of the state secret away? She didn't even think about it. It just…happened. The chains holding the bag rattled with the force of her hits.

How could she even face them again after all that? She had told them everything. It made her feel so vulnerable, as if she were standing bare in front of them, all of her defenses stripped away. They all thought of her as this suave, tough, badass who could handle anything, yet tonight she revealed that she was nothing of the sort. She was still the same terrified, helpless, tragic girl she'd always been. Without even realizing it, she had become no different than Professor Bitch. She cried out, whether in pain, desolation, or anger, she couldn't tell anymore, and lunged for the next target.

"Haru?" She snapped her head up. Her fist flew out before she'd even registered who had spoken to her. She'd thought she'd be safe in her solitude out here, no one thinking she'd ever go out into the storm, especially not after what she'd revealed. She wasn't even sure why or how she'd braved it in the first place but it was only ever the thunder and lightning that incapacitated her and when she'd left the main house, neither was happening. She stopped the attack just before it landed, at level with his esophagus. But, of course, she couldn't expect Karma to think like the others. He stared at her blankly before grabbing her fist and twisting it in an armlock behind her back. "You lied to me."

"That's not true," she replied, defensively, spinning herself out of the maneuver before locking the joints of his extended limb in place. He quickly retaliated by using his shoulder to pull his arm out of her grasp before spinning around her to secure her in a headlock.

"You told me your mom was raped in that alleyway and that's how she died. You never said anything about yourself."

"I didn't _lie_." She punctuated her statement with a sharp elbow to his ribcage. He let go, coughing. They kept exchanging powerful blows, even as their words became more heated. Swift kicks, punches, jabs, trips, locks, each blow and block emphasizing the points of their argument.

"Semantics! Why didn't you tell me?"

"What would you have done if you knew?!"

"What would I- I could've gotten you away from that deadbeat asshat, Ranka a long time ago for starters! I would've made sure you didn't have to go into that bar in Okinawa! I would've kept you off that mountain! I would've taken care of Raiden myself that first day he leered at you! I certainly wouldn't have let you take on our mission!"

"In other words, you never would have treated me the same," Haruhi summarized, aiming a foot to his stomach. He caught it easily and twisted her ankle so that she was forced to turn away from him, hobbling on one foot, which he quickly took out by shoving the foot in his hand forward, causing her to lose balance and fall flat to the mat-covered floor.

"Why _did_ you agree to that mission anyway? Why would you willingly put yourself in _his_ hands after everything that happened to you? You _chose_ to be violated _again._ Walked right into it! _Why_?! Did you _want_ that to happen again?"

Haurhi stood and glared at him defiantly, eyes flaming, hands fisted at her sides. "Of course not! I did it because if I didn't, he would have kept violating other girls and kept torturing other victims and kept doing all those other terrible things. I did it to protect them and you will not make me feel guilty for that. Yeah, what he did hurt like hell. It still does in places I really don't want to talk about again. But if it saved even one more girl from suffering the same fate as I did, I would fucking do it again! He never would have been brought to justice legally, so I brought justice to him. When I graduate high school, I'm going to become a part-time assassin for Karasama so I can save other people from getting hurt like I did." She lunged, pinning Karma, unprepared for her sudden attack, to the ground. "You can either support me or get the hell out of my way!" He bucked his hips and, using that momentum, flipped their positions, pinning her instead, though making sure stay sitting up and not hover directly over her.

"How can you ask me to stand by and watch you do this to yourself?!"

"By all means, come along with me! But I'm going to with or without you." She glowered, struggling against his hold for a moment longer before her face turned soft and her voice and her body lost its fight. "I'd just…prefer to do it with you."

Karma sighed with relief and released her, feeling more content than he had in a long time. "It's amazing what it takes for you to finally stop being stubborn and say what's on your mind. Feel better?"

"Huh?" She asked, sitting up gingerly. The two had done a real number on each other this time.

"What, you didn't notice that I was careful to avoid the places where you could still be healing? If I had let you continue practicing on those dummies, you might have made them worse. So I gave you something to focus on." He shrugged like it was no big deal, but she could only stare at him, dumbfounded. He'd _planned_ this whole fight?

"Was I upset that you kept something so big to yourself? Well, maybe a little hurt, but you've always guarded your secrets close to heart. And you're right. If you had told me way back in Kyoto, I would have become unbelievably overprotective of you. That wouldn't have done anything but make you more closed off. While I didn't like it, I understand why you didn't tell me." He scooted next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, drawing her into his side. She didn't even try to fight it. He wasn't mad at her. All this time, she thought he'd be furious with her for not telling him. But he understood. Suddenly, she felt about as foolish as anyone could feel. All her worries about telling him had been so trivial and totally speculative. He laid back on the mats with a sigh, taking her with him.

"So you want to be a part-time assassin because you want to bring justice down on those who won't pay otherwise, right?" She nodded. "I think I can get behind something like that. We could tag team them like some kind of 'good cop, bad cop' routine. You'd make a great bad cop. After all, I only torture my victims physically to humiliate 'em. You really get inside their head and make them suffer even as they die. I'll never forget that little speech of yours to Yoshio. It truly was a work of art."

"You've only said _that_ about twenty times this month," Haruhi said, giggling. "You're the gore whore though, why don't you be the bad cop?"

"Because I love watching you work," Karma replied, winking down at her.

"How about the Angel of Vengeance and her faithful Oni _sidekick_?" She poked his chest.

He shrugged. "I'm flexible." The brunette snorted. Karma heaved a heavy breath before broaching the next topic on his mind. "What happens if one of our victims gets you pregnant by mistake?"

"Impossible," Haruhi muttered darkly, clenching her fist into the fabric of his shirt.

"Nothing's impossible, Haru. There isn't a single birth control out there that's one-hundred percent." Even before he was finished, he felt her shaking her head.

"It _is_ impossible because I can't have kids," she mumbled. Her voice went quieter as she whispered, "they took that from me too." Karma's arm tightened around her and they were silent for a long time after that.

"Alright then," he said comfortingly. "If we ever want kids, we'll just adopt."

"You sound pretty sure of yourself. What makes you think we're gonna last that long? You're not the only one I love, you know. And I do want to keep all of you guys around."

"Because you love me the most." He smirked a moment before turning serious again. "As for the other hosts, do you really think they're going to leave you because you _love_ them?! If anything, they'll be holding onto you tighter than ever after tonight. Trust your friends. We're with you. Behind you, beside you, in front of you, wherever you need us no matter who you pick. I know I've told you that before and I know Kyouya's told you that too."

"I never wanted to hurt anyone and it's gonna hurt them bad."

"Haru, you don't give our friends enough credit. Do you honestly think they're unprepared for you to choose? Do you really think they don't already know it might not be them? Give them a chance. They'll probably surprise you. They always do."

"You really think so?" She looked up at him hopefully. He rolled his eyes and flicked her forehead. "Ow! What was that for?" Haruhi pouted.

"Because you're being thick-headed. Now, come on. Let's go back to your little safe room," he smirked, standing them up slowly, both of them groaning as the aches and pains from their fight started catching up to the pair. As they headed back to the main house, the red head looked at the grimacing brunette limping beside him. "Oh, and Plain Sight?" He waited until her eyes met his. "I love you too."

…

"Excuse me," she said quietly, standing up.

No one made any move to stop her. They were all too absorbed in their own minds to even register the brunette storyteller leaving. No one even heard the door shut behind her. The heavy silence continued to radiate the room. The boys felt sick, horrified, that their once-secret princess had suffered so much more than any of them could have imagined. The six original hosts shared the same guilt as they reviewed their actions that day they first met her in a new light, from a different perspective.

Tamaki, his face slightly green, remembered how he'd hovered over her, blew on her neck, followed her even as she tried to back away from him. He felt disgusted with himself. Whether he had thought her a male or female, he should have noticed the signs of discomfort. And every time since. Every overexuberant embrace, every game of tug-'o-war over her with the twins, every cosplay, every insult to her commoner background, each vision he'd ever had of the two of them together. All of it played through his mind and it made him feel revolted. He finally understood why she had gone after those two punks all those months ago. Her priority was making sure those girls didn't suffer like she'd had to. And he'd faulted her for it. He tried to make her feel guilty for protecting those girls. Why? Because he thought she didn't understand that she was powerless to boys who wanted to use her. She already knew.

Honey had his fists clenched. His demon side was creeping out, but he directed it all at himself. The first day he'd jumped on her back and she'd cried out in shock. He hadn't let go. He'd seen her nerves and thought it was just because of being the new kid. He'd only wanted to make her feel welcome. Since then, he'd often pop up at her side or launch himself at her for a hug. He noticed the jumpiness but it had gone away so he didn't pay much mind to it, thinking it was just because they were new to her. How wrong he had been. He didn't protect her. Moments of her kindness played in his mind. Times when she'd held him while he cried or put him down for a nap in the clubroom. When she patiently bandaged his various cuts and scrapes or mended his beloved Usa-chan, the way she always had his favorite cakes ready whenever he went to her house. She always made them. She never bought them. And she never expected anything in return. She was so kind, so genuine. She was being abused. He didn't protect her. His fists clenched tighter. He didn't deserve her. None of them did.

Mori was too distracted by his own thoughts to even consider trying to bring his smaller cousin out of his. She'd been afraid of him. He tried to remember when he noticed her being around him more and thought he could date it back to their first encounter with Lobelia when she'd asked why he didn't have to wear a dress along with the others and his answer had made her laugh again. That was three months after they'd met. For the better part of ninety days, she had feared him. He remembered those early days. Those days when she'd only called out to him to rescue her from the trio of bakas. He remembered her being tense in his arms, though he had brushed it off as stress caused by his kouhais. He remembered the very first time he'd ever rescued her from Tamaki's hug. Where his hands had been when he'd found out the scholarship student was actually a 'she'. He'd most likely petrified her. She never gave even a hint.

Hikaru and Kaoru both felt guilty as well, but the older twin harbored exponentially more and the younger knew it. Hikaru was the one who always started playing pranks on her. Hikaru was the one who still called her their toy. Kaoru had stopped when she'd exploded at them back at the beach house. Hikaru was the one who abandoned her during the thunderstorm, and now knowing the reason she was so scared of them? Hikaru was the one gripping his hair in both hands, his head ducked low. Hikaru was the one who didn't listen to what she said or wanted nine times out of ten. But how many times had they both used her to antagonize Tamaki or tried to force her into clothes? How many times had they crossed her boundaries without a worry or care? Too many.

And Kyouya, who had teased her, who had held her, who had kissed her, he was much in the way of Honey. His demon aura had exuded out of his control, but like his senpai, it was all directed at himself. Every time he'd threatened her, towered over her, manipulated her. When he'd tried to make Tamaki's point by throwing her onto his bed and climbing over her, how terrified had he made her? It was a punch to the gut, what he'd done to her then. And he'd never needed to. She'd understood Tamaki's point better than the blond, himself. His mind flashed to another memory. That of them laying in her bed and him tracing his fingers up her neck. The fear in her eyes then, the way she'd jumped away from him. When she explained it later, he thought he understood. She'd never been turned on before. But that wasn't what she was trying to say at all. She was _afraid_ of being turned on. Of anything sexual, and for good reason. So many times he'd screwed up with her, it was no wonder she took him up on his offer to be single the moment she could. It was a miracle she still associated with him at all. At least he'd stopped being suspicious of her before insulting her even more by asking her about it directly. Why would she save his father's life, only to kill him later? It didn't make sense so he squashed the idea that she was responsible and came to grips with the fact that even his overpowering, sadistic father could succumb to the laws of nature.

"I need to go find her." Karma stood abruptly and left the room, left the host club to voice their thoughts, now that the endless silence had been shattered.

"I'm going with too." Kyouya tried to follow when a deep voice halted him even before he'd started moving.

"No."

"Takashi's right. Karma-chan's the only one who can help her right now." Honey said, his demon aura and demon voice challenging Kyouya. The second year glanced at the door.

"I have to apologize…" He started, hesitatingly.

"We all have things to apologize for, Kyo-chan, but we will wait until he brings her back."

"He will." Mori added.

"It's our job as hosts to make every woman happy," Tamaki said, hoarsely. "But we failed when it came to the one woman who _supposedly_ means the most to us."

"She knew," Hikaru whispered. "She knew how we all felt about her. All along, we thought she was just dense but…she _knew._ "

"She cared more about not hurting us, about us not hurting each other, than she did about her own happiness," Kaoru said sadly, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder. He addressed the group. "Haruhi would never come between us, or between Tamaki-senpai and Kyouya-senpai, or between Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai. She loves all of us. But she could never choose without hurting some of us."

"She didn't even want to start that dating charade until she knew it wasn't going to hurt the rest of you," Kyouya contributed.

"Did you know _anything_ about this, senpai?" Hikaru asked suddenly. The second year shook his head. "Don't bullshit me, senpai. You dated her for months and don't you _dare_ try to say it was all for show when you were clearly trying to use it to your advantage in the competition. And I _know_ at least some of it was real to her."

"Haru-chan is _not_ a competition," Honey seethed at Hikaru. "She never was." The short blond then turned to Kyouya, wanting the same information.

"I had no idea. Believe me, there are many things I would've done differently if I'd known." He looked repulsed and they watched as his black aura formed spears that buried themselves into him. "I have not always been a gentleman towards her," he sneered at himself.

"Kyouya," Tamaki's deadly quiet voice immediately garnered the attention of everyone. His face was hard, cold. Like nothing they'd ever seen on their leader. "You had better not be telling us what I think you are. Because if you are, your precious police force will not be able to protect you." Heads whipped back at the other second year as they caught on to what Tamaki was insinuating.

"Of course not!" Kyouya growled. " _Nothing_ I've ever done has been as bad as that!" They relaxed. He relaxed as well, grateful they were not making him elaborate. It was not something he wanted to remember, let alone relay.

"Can't be as bad as leaving her outside, in the middle of a thunderstorm," the older twin muttered darkly. "Cause that's what I did. I left her to deal with that. I left her in the storm, left her to suffer the memory of when she was…" He trailed off, not wanting to finish, not wanting to say it out loud.

"Raped." Honey snarled. "Haru-chan was raped. And she deserves better than us tip-toeing around that. _Damnit,_ she deserves better!" He emphasized this by throwing a powerful punch into the floor.

"We still take her for granted," Mori stated quietly.

"It's no wonder she thinks we're going to up and abandon her," Kaoru pointed out. "We're all so selfish. This whole time we've been fighting over her like wild animals. And what happens when one animal gets the prize? The others either fight him to the death or they lose interest altogether at the next flashy thing that comes along."

"Well that stops now," Honey glared, daring anyone to oppose him. "Haru-chan is not a prize to fight over. She is not a competition. She is not a trophy. She is our friend. Our friend who would go to the ends of the earth for us. Our friend who knows us better than anyone. Our friend who has already made her choice, even if she's too scared of us leaving her to voice it."

"The Queen chose her King long before she ever met her princes," Tamaki whispered, the ghost of a smile on his face.

" **We've been pushing them together for a while** ," the twins stated with a hint of mischief.

"But Karma won't do anything until Haruhi feels comfortable enough to accept him," Hikaru explained.

"And she's been too afraid of how we'd react," Kaoru frowned.

"We can't change what we've done or how we've acted before," Tamaki stated, firmly. "But we can make sure that, going forward, we act like the princes we're supposed to be. Like the friends we're supposed to be."

"We need to tell her why she means so much to us and stop assuming she knows," Mori advised. The others nodded in unanimous agreement.

In a testament to perfect timing, the door opened and Karma led a very skittish, gi-dressed Haruhi by the hand. The two made their way through the silent room, and he gently helped her down to the floor before taking his own seat next to her and pulling her into his lap. She tried to protest but her attempts were feeble at best, so she settled for looking down and hiding her now bright red face. They looked a mess. Hair ruffled, arms and wrists covered in developing bruises.

"Oh, so _that's_ where you went off to," Honey nodded at her attire.

" **What the hell happened to you two?** " The twins asked as Kyouya sighed and resigned himself to looking for the first aid kit so he could patch up the pair.

Karma wrapped his arms around _his_ Haru's waist, furthering her embarrassment. The redhead only smirked. "Well, Miss Fight-Her-Feelings here needed a better target than some stationary dummies and a punching bag, so I provided her with one until she calmed down and stopped being so stubborn." The twins and Honey snickered.

"Haruhi," Mori said seriously, staring at her until she looked up at him, the blush on her cheeks slowly dissipating. "I'm not going to apologize for everything you went through. There would be no point and I won't insult you with my pity." He took one of her slim, bandaged hands in his large ones. "But I will tell you I will always be there for you. You gave me the ability to speak. An ability that I will lose if I can no longer be around you. I'm not going anywhere." He placed a soft kiss on the white bandages and released her hand.

"You gave me back my mother and you saved me from being turned into a figurehead. You made it so that my grandmother can't touch either of us anymore. There's nothing I could ever do to repay you for that and I know you wouldn't even want me to try. We were friends before we knew you but you made us a family. You don't have to worry about me going anywhere either. Besides," Tamaki rubbed the back of his neck, nervously, "my mother would kick my ass if I tried." Intermittent chuckles circled the group before the twins spoke up.

"You brought us out of our shell and made us realize that the world was bigger than just us," Hikaru told her.

"You showed us how to let others in and we're happier than we ever knew we could be. You gave that to us," Kaoru elaborated.

" **So like it or not, you're stuck with us forever** ," they grinned, making her giggle.

"Because of you, I now know what it feels like to love and be loved," Kyouya said earnestly. To hell with his pride at this point. He wasn't going to hide anything from her, even if it meant exposing it to the rest of their friends while she sat in his rival's lap. "Because of you, I was able to achieve my life's goal. I don't care what has happened to you or what will happen. That is not something I can simply walk away from. Haruhi, I love you and I _cannot_ imagine a life without you in it, regardless of what role you play."

"Do you get it yet, Haru-chan?" Honey asked, smiling. "You're the most important woman in the world to us. Even if we end up marrying, those wives will still play second fiddle to you and if they can't handle that, divorce _is_ a quick and easy solution. We're with _you_ to the end no matter what."

"Listen guys," Karma said, giving his Haru a squeeze. "I'm not really the jealous type. Even if Haru decides she wants to be with me, which I think she has…" He waited for a response from her. She looked around nervously before ducking her head and slowly nodding. After snickering at the twins who mumbled " **finally** ", he continued. "she can kiss you, sleep with you, love you, I don't really care. It's the twenty-first century. I can't and won't command that she stays with me and only me. I love her too much to restrict her like that. She loves you all and I have no problem with her expressing that love however she wants." He paused for a moment, enjoying the dumbfounded looks, before leaning his head over her shoulder and smirking devilishly. "I'll just remind her later why she'll always want to come back to me."

"Hmm…a polyamorous relationship with you as her husband. I hadn't thought of that. Now _that_ could be a solution to assuage our dear Haruhi's fears of love and abandonment," Kyouya replied thoughtfully, one finger tapping his chin.

"Wait, what?!" Haruhi interjected, struggling to escape her boyfriend's embrace, her face red to the roots of her hair.

"I'm only joking, Haruhi," Kyouya smirked while the twins roared with laughter. The brunette could feel her red head shaking into her back and barely resisted the urge to elbow him again. "Can you imagine what kind of PR nightmare that would make? Seven men, six of whom are heirs to the most prominent companies in Japan, all exclusively tied to one girl? The press would have a field day! Though, that's not to say I won't take Karma up on his offer. You are a very tempting woman, after all."

"You can say that again, Kyo-chan," Honey winked.

"Honey-senpai? I always thought you saw Haruhi as a sister or something," Tamaki questioned.

"Of course I did when I knew she didn't want anything else, but I still saw her as the woman she is. After all," Honey smirked, "think about how many times she's carried me: on her back, or on her front. Haru-chan in a red bikini comes to mind as an example. How many of you can say you've had _that_ level of physical contact with her?"

"WHA-?!" The taller blond exclaimed loudly, falling backwards.

"Damn, Honey-senpai," Kaoru breathed, slightly awed, "you really are a devious bastard." The short senior winked at his kouhai and giggled. The others just stared at him, flabbergasted.

"Make no mistake though, she's still my best friend and if that's all she'll ever be, than I am perfectly happy with that. I cherish our friendship and I wouldn't ever do anything that would jeopardize it."

Haruhi deadpanned. "I never said I was _opposed_ to the idea. After all, what girl wouldn't want seven of the most attractive men in the country practically worshipping the ground she walked on? It'd paint a pretty big target on my head as the one whose capture would bring Japan to its knees, sure, but nothing we couldn't manage. And there are seven days of the week, so there'd be one day for each of you." She pretended to ponder the idea for a minute or two, muttering all the pros and cons, relishing in the astounded looks she was getting in return. Her face fell into a devious smirk. "Consider that payback," she said with a mischievous wink before laughing at the absolute shellshock her boys exhibited. Once they recovered from her joke, each fell into laughter with her.

A knock on the door softened the hilarity and a shy maid poked her head in. "I beg your pardon, young master, but I was told to inform you that the storm was over." She quickly bowed and left.

"You hear that, Haru-chan? The storm is finally over!"

"Yeah. Yeah it is." And for the first time in over a decade, the brunette assassin started to truly believe it was.


	46. Epilogue

A/N: Well, here it is, the final chapter, and I hope it is as satisfactory as it should be. I will be starting on a new fanfic from a different anime shortly, so if you enjoy my writing, you do have that to look forward to. Allow me to thank all of you readers, one last time. You have stuck with me for so long and I will be forever grateful for your support.

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Epilogue

When they had been dating for five years and the two had graduated from college, Karma decided to propose. He looked all over Tokyo, searching store after store, trying to find the perfect ring for her, the best diamond. He hadn't worked this hard at a task since studying for his 3rd year finals. After scouring the sixteenth jewelry shop, it finally dawned on him. The reason he wasn't finding anything that suited his one-of-a-kind girl was because he had only been looking at diamonds. Such a standard gem, no matter how shiny or well-cut, just didn't match his Haru.

He started looking at other options. He knew she hated her birth month stone, so amethyst was out. Sapphire? Maybe. Blue felt too calming to represent her though. His Haru was a fireball of passion, energy, skill, intelligence, she was every color under the sun. He visited a couple more shops, searching for rings with gemstones that had more than one color when, in the smallest store he'd found, he stumbled upon the stone for her.

The black fire opal stone was truly a work of art, cut in a fire-burst facet. Polished to a shine, the stone shimmered with deep reds and bright yellows. He twisted it and saw more hidden treasures sparkling in the light, deep blues and purples gleamed when he turned it one way, a vibrant green and orange streak appeared when he turned it another. It was, without a doubt in his mind, the perfect stone for her ring.

The band it was set in was nothing to sneeze at either. A white-gold, swirling filigree surrounding the oval-shaped stone that tapered off into just a thin, plain band. All of the show was in the front. It would not be uncomfortable for her to wear day-to-day, which was great because Karma knew that once this beauty was on his beauty, he'd never want her to take it off.

"How much for this one?" He asked the store's only associate.

"You have a fine eye, my young friend. Most would go for the diamonds or the pearls or the garnets. Flashy, but overdone. It takes real character to see that true beauty lies in the subtle, the unique, the understated." The old man gave the Karma the total cost of his chosen ring and without batting an eye, he paid the clerk in full.

"Thank you, sir." Karma bowed gratefully, glad to have finally found an end to his long search. Now all that was left was the where and how. As he exited the store with his purchase, he thought about calling their host friends to help but quickly scrapped that idea. They would go overboard with a huge production and that wasn't what he wanted, nor what she would want. The longer he thought about it, the more he realized there was really only one spot that was special to both of them. As that idea took shape, he realized he would need some help after all. E-class help for an E-class proposal. And a little extra help from their newest member.

Haru wasn't scheduled to be home from her latest mission until evening so he had some time to get it all ready, but not much. Perhaps he could get Honey or the twins to…distract…her and gain time? He grinned as his plan formulated in his mind, not noticing the people around him moving quickly to get out of his way and staring at him apprehensively. He had a lot of work to do.

"Ritsu," he called, seemingly to no one. His phone lit up in his breast pocket.

"What's up, Karma?" The bubbly, pink-haired girl beamed.

"Can you get everyone on the mountainside in two hours? Tell 'em it's important and I need their help."

"Sure thing. Is everything okay?" She asked, concerned.

"Everything's just fine. Oh, and tell them to bring their old yearbooks too."

"Okay…" Ritsu replied, uncertainly.

"Thank you. One more thing, can you let Yori know that I'm picking her up today?"

"Sure thing," the girl said, brightly. "I don't know what you've got planned, Senioritis, but it's still going to be nice to see everyone together again." His phone went black as his mobile friend started on his requests. His footsteps guided him to the limo Tamaki had bought them for graduating. They had both shaken their heads in exasperation but eventually accepted the gift and promised to use it on the condition that they got to choose the driver.

"Master Karma, was your venture finally successful?" The man winked at his charge.

"Kenzou, if you call me 'master' one more time, I swear I'm replacing you," the red head joked. Their friend just snickered and opened the door. "And yes," Karma replied as he entered the extravagant vehicle, "yes it was." Kenzou shut the door and took his place behind the wheel. Once both were seated, Karma opened the box.

The older male whistled. "You did good, kid. She's gonna love that!"

"That's what I'm hoping for. We're going to pick Yori up and then head to the mountain. When Haru gets back, will you bring her there too?"

"Of course. That is what you pay me for after all." He ducked, well used to his teasing resulting in some light projectile being tossed at his head and started the vehicle.

"Daddy, look!" The little black-haired, brown-eyed, six year-old girl proudly showed Karma the perfect result of her latest quiz the second she'd bounded into the limo.

"Congratulations, Chipmunk, I'm so proud of you!" She beamed, stuffing the paper back into her little backpack.

It had been two weeks after Ranka's death two years ago when he and Haru had finally been able to lead a raid on Onaga. He had worried about her, worried it might have been too soon for her to take on a mission. But she wouldn't take no for an answer and her bloodlust, aggression, and repressed rage were almost their undoing. He led half their group to rescue the prisoners while Haru led the other half to Onaga and had almost gotten herself killed several times in the process. Yori was the last girl he'd found in the compound and the sight of her bruised little body brought him to his knees. It was a sight that still haunted him.

The next day saw the girl finally coming to in the hospital where he and Haru had waited vigilantly by her bedside. She was so scared. It took so long that day for her to trust him and let him close and once she had, he never wanted to let her go again. Luckily Haru felt the same way and on discovering that her mother had died in Onaga's hellhole, they entreated Karasama to help them gain emergency custody. It had taken some cajoling and help from some highly skilled Ootori lawyers, but they managed it in the end. _"As one life leaves, another one enters."_ That's what Tamaki had said. Before he was smacked around and called an idiot for using those specific words and causing Haruhi to almost cry.

He and Haru moved into a good-sized five bedroom house, courtesy of the twins, that day and Yori made them a family of three. Karma would never forget the way she'd stuffed her cheeks full of Haru's dinner that night and had called her Chipmunk ever since. The pair had been granted full custody eight months later, after having no luck at finding any of her family and the former hosts, in true host style, threw a huge party to celebrate, lavishing her with gifts and affection. Yori thrived under their care and loved spending nights with her uncle hosts or her E-3 uncles and aunts when they had to go on missions and was already acting like a miniature Kyouya at Ouran Elementary where she'd started three months ago.

"When is mommy coming ba-" The rest of her question was muffled by his shirt as he suddenly hugged her close. She pulled her head back and saw his eyes glistening. "Daddy, are you okay?" He smiled and tightened his hold.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I love you, Chipmunk."

"I love you too, daddy," she replied, squeezing him as hard as her little arms could. She didn't understand it, but she knew her daddy needed her hugs right then. It wasn't that long ago when she was in that dark, smelly place, always hurting, always hungry, always scared. At least until her mommy and daddy showed up and saved her. She remembered having a mommy for some of the time but then her old mommy disappeared and she thought daddies were all like those mean men that hit her and yelled at her all the time so she thought this new daddy would do the same thing. Her new mommy and her new daddy were quick to let her know otherwise and she had been happy with them ever since. She wanted to make them happy too, so she worked hard to learn and when they looked upset like her daddy just did, she was always ready with a hug. "When is mommy coming back?"

"She'll be back in a few hours. In the meantime, do you want to help me with something to surprise her?" Her face lit up with excitement and for a brief moment, she looked just like Honey.

"What kind of surprise?" She asked, eyes sparkling.

"I'll tell you when we get to the mountain, okay?" She nodded eagerly and nearly bounced in her seat the rest of the way there, causing no end of amusement for Karma and Kenzou. 'The mountain', she knew, was where her mommy and daddy first met and learned how to fight. They, along with her E-3 aunts and uncles, were teaching her how to fight there too.

An hour later, after everyone had settled into the old classroom with Yori sitting on Koro-sensei's desk, swinging her legs, and Karma standing beside her, he addressed the room, telling them what he was going to do and how he'd everything planned.

"But wait, if you're really planning on doing this in a way she'll love, wouldn't she want the hosts around here too?" Nakamura asked. "They are just as close to her as the rest of us."

"Do you really want _them here_?" Karma deadpanned.

"It's not about what we want. It's about what Haruhi would want," Kanzaki replied, sagely.

"Ugh fine. Ritsu, can you get Kyouya and Mori on a conference?" A few moments later, the two raven-haired former hosts appeared on his phone.

"Karma, I hope this is important. I was in the middle of a meeting."

"It is. I need you to gather the hosts and come up to the mountain today. I also need you two to make sure they don't…touch anything at the school. The last thing we want is for the twins or Tamaki to mess up our shrine."

"Let me get this straight, you call me in the middle of a meeting, to gather our friends for some mysterious trip to your old school and then you want me to babysit the idiot three? All without any explanation whatsoever?" Kyouya pinched the bridge of his nose. He didn't have _time_ for host club nonsense today.

"It's for Haaruuhiiii," Karma smirked. Mori chuckled, already knowing the effect of that one simple statement.

"Fine," Kyouya grumbled. "We'll be there within the hour."

"Great! See you then!" Before any had a chance to hang up, Yori grabbed his phone and put in her two sense.

"Uncle Kyouya, Uncle Mori, I can't wait to see you too!"

"We'll be there soon, Princess," Mori said, smiling at his adopted niece.

"Yay!" She beamed, handing the phone back to her daddy.

"You guys okay?" Karma laughed. "A full dose of Yori cuteness isn't recommended for anyone."

"I think we'll survive," Kyouya replied fondly. He absolutely adored that little girl. They all did. "We'll see you two shortly." The phone went black and he quickly made a call to Karasama to delay Haruhi's flight to gain time instead of using his original plan.

"Alright, everyone happy?" Karma asked the class, rolling his eyes.

"I'm happy, daddy!" Yori said, hugging him tightly, to the amusement of everyone present.

"I know, Chipmunk."

"So what's the plan, Akabane?" Terasaka asked.

"And why did we have to lug these monsters all the way back up here?" Muramatsu added, indicating the yearbooks Koro-sensei had made them. And so Karma explained what he wanted from them. Soon the classroom and the surrounding area was a hub of bustling activity.

"Uncle hosts!" Yori screeched, making a beeline for the top of the path as the former host club came into view.

"Yori-chan!" Honey yelled back, running to meet her. He picked her up, spinning her in a circle before giving his little niece a big hug and letting her down to greet the rest. Tamaki was the next to grab her, planting a huge, sloppy kiss on her cheek.

"Uncle Tamaki, _eeewwww_!" She grimaced, squirming and wiping the slobber off her face. "You're worse than Antionette! Uncle Mori, help!" Everyone in the vicinity laughed as the tallest man plucked her from the exuberant blond's arms and placed her safely on his shoulders.

"Anyone else think she acts just like Haruhi, blood or not?" Hikaru asked, poking Tamaki's crestfallen form.

"Oh good, you're all here," Karma called from a tree near the courtyard where he was stringing lights. "I hope you're ready to work because we could use all the help we can get before Haru gets here. Plans are in the classroom. Kyouya, Mori, if you could remember what we talked about, that'd be great."

"What exactly are we helping with?" Kyouya called back.

"Oh, he didn't tell you?" Kayano asked as she passed them, carrying a large cooler. "Karma's going to propose to Haruhi!"

"Woah, really?!" Honey exclaimed.

" **Finally**!" The twins high-fived.

"But where's the orchestra? The costumes? The rose petals?" Tamaki whipped his head back and forth like they would suddenly appear until Kyouya smacked him.

"Moron, You know Haruhi doesn't like all that fanfair." He turned his face on the red blob that was the only indication of where his kouhai sat in the tree. "I take it this means our arrangement is off?" He called up.

"What arrangement?" Yori asked from atop Mori's shoulders, tilting her head much like a certain brunette they all loved. Her uncles sweatdropped.

"We'll tell you when you're older," Kaoru said, nervously. No way was he about to introduce his adorable little niece to their life when she was only just getting back to being the kid she should have been all along.

"That's up to Haru, I still don't care!" Karma yelled back.

Two hours later, Kenzou was waiting by the luggage claim at the airport with a wide, grin on his face. He would be forever grateful that he had stopped for Haruhi that night almost six years ago. His life was so much better with her and her friends in it. Never did he think he would be the exclusive driver to one of the most powerful and wealthiest families in Japan, yet here he was. He'd watched these two deal with more than he could ever imagine, grow as a couple, and flourish as parents to little Yori and he couldn't be more proud of them. Soon he would get to witness as they joined their lives permanently and he couldn't wait. Their love and growth together gave him hope for himself and his girlfriend.

"Mistress, did you enjoy your trip?" He grinned as his battered, exhausted-looking charge came into view. He laughed, dodging her lighthearted punches, and grabbed her bags as they rotated the conveyor belt.

"It was successful, if that's what you mean. Glad Karma didn't go with me this time, though. He would have had a conniption. Don't tell him I said that." Kenzou snickered and pantomimed sealing his lips shut. "How's everything here? Tamaki and the twins been behaving?"

"Everything is just as when you left." He laughed at the sardonic expression on her face. "There's a dress in the back for you to change into. Karma wants you to meet him for a surprise welcome back party. Don't tell him I told you that." She giggled, nudging him.

"But I'm tired," she whined. "I just want to go home. Do I have to?"

"I'm afraid he was rather insistent on this one, Haruhi, sorry." She grumbled but begrudgingly acquiesced. He could tell she was still annoyed when they got back to the limo so he offered her a token to nibble on. "I promise, you're not going to want to miss this one." He smiled kindly as he helped her into the back and closed the door behind her. Once he took his place in the front, he put up the privacy window for her to change. He chuckled, listening to her continue to grumble and moan.

"What are we doing at the mountain?" Haruhi asked, stepping out of the limo in her new dress, a knee-length ensemble with a white, sleeveless bodice that flowed into a green, pleated skirt, both parts separated by a light brown, leather belt. She couldn't find fault with it as it was comfortable and looked pretty and the soft white sandals she'd also found where a boon on her sore feet.

"Where else would a welcome back party for you be? It hasn't just been Karma working on this, though it was his idea. All your friends have been helping out all afternoon. Now, shall we?" He offered his arm to her. She took it, hesitatingly and they started walking.

Just past the start of the forest, they stumbled across a large book. Bending down to inspect it, Haruhi realized it was one of the yearbooks Koro-sensei had made them opened to a page of her studying. A couple meters ahead was another copy of the yearbook, this one opened to a picture of Karma sipping his favorite strawberry milk. Two more yearbooks followed this one, each opened to a picture of her or Karma. The fifth showed a picture of the two of them together, engaged in combat. The sixth, a picture of the pair in Kyoto. Every few meters was a different copy with a different picture of her and Karma, all the way up the hill, and as the sun set, strings of light began to glow, lighting the path for her and Kenzou.

"What exactly is going on, Kenzou?" She asked suspiciously. He simply shrugged and led her to the next book. She sighed and resigned herself to whatever fate awaited her, smiling at the memories the books were showing her and describing them to her friend.

"Mommy!" A sweet voice rang out over the clearing as the school came into view. Haruhi's legs were attacked by a black blur of energy. "I missed you, mommy!"

"I missed you too, my precious girl," the brunette said, picking her adopted daughter up and squeezing her tight. "Have you been good for daddy?"

"Uh-huh," Yori replied, proudly. "I didn't even criticized his cooking once." Haruhi and Kenzou, as well as more than a few other hidden voices snickered to the distant shout of "hey!" and she set her girl down.

"You know daddy _is_ a good cook, right?"

"Yeah I know, but not as good as you are."

"Well, your mommy _is_ the most sought-after chef in Japan, so I guess you have a point." The girls laughed together as Haruhi finally took stock of her old school courtyard. The whole area glowed softly, illuminated by more strings of lights. The grass had been cut, every weed pulled, and fresh flowers planted. It looked incredible! Koro-sensei's shrine burned fresh incense and his robe had been mended to look like new. Offerings of sweets littered the ground before it, a testament to his addiction to junk food.

"Do you like it, mommy?" Yori asked brightly, gazing up to see her mouth opened in a cute little circle and her eyes glistening slightly. Slowly the circle morphed into a fully-formed smile that lit her mommy's face up like a firework. Her mommy looked beautiful smiling like that and Yori hoped that smile would never go away again. "We worked awful hard on it today."

"So I've been told. I love it, sweetie. But…where is everyone?"

"In the back! Come on, I'll show you!" Yori took Haruhi by the hand and led her quickly through the grassy yard, Kenzou following close behind. A soft, enchanting music seemed to flow through the air, so natural, Haurhi couldn't tell if it was real or not. The warm, early summer weather had come out in full force and she would have been comfortable just laying down in the grass and star-gazing. But she let her daughter guide her through the school and out the back door.

More lights had been strung up and the yard was completely bathed in the gentle glow. Her host club boys and her E-class friends all gathered in a semi-circle with Karma in the middle. Yori let go of her hand and raced on ahead to where the others stood. Kenzou passed her from behind and followed the little girl. Haruhi slowly made her way down the stone stairs and stopped at the bottom, staring intently at the excited and expectant looks on everyone's faces.

"Karma, what is going on?" She asked, placing her hands on her hips. Instead of answering her, he simply walked forward to meet her, grabbed her hands, and pulled her gently to the middle of the circle of their friends. She followed, almost transfixed by the glow of his eyes, filled with the love and passion he had for her. She held her breath as he dropped to one knee and held out a small box.

"We already live together, work together, and raise Yori together, so do you want to go ahead and make it official?"

"YOU CALL THAT A PROPOSAL?! I'LL SHOW YOU A PROP-mmph mmmph!"

" **Don't worry, we got this,** " Hikaru and Kaoru said, their hands clamped tightly over their king's mouth. Everyone else was glaring at him, lividly. " **Please, continue.** "

"You ruined my daddy's plan! You will pay for that!" Yori yelled, running full force into the tall blond. The twins only just jumped out of the way in time before a four-foot ball of rage plowed into his stomach. Tamaki went down with the wind knocked out of him, much to the amusement of the bystanders who subsequently applauded her efforts. She stood up and skipped happily over to her adopted parents who loved her more than she could ever remember being loved. "Well, mommy? Are you gonna marry daddy?" She asked, brightly, showing no trace of remorse for her previous actions.

Haruhi giggled and ruffled her ebony locks. "So long as nothing around here ever changes, I don't see a reason why I shouldn't." Karma slipped the stunning ring on her finger as cheers erupted through the night air and she couldn't have imagined a more perfect proposal. From Karma's individualistic delivery to the host club interrupting the whole thing, her daughter taking out the ringleader on Karma's behalf before anyone else could. This was what she would always remember. Karma wrapped her in his arms and she relaxed into his embrace before jumping up and wrapping her legs around her waist, catching his lips in a fiery, passionate kiss that enflamed her as only Karma could. It was a kiss that promised her lifelong excitement and left her breathless, hungry for more.


End file.
